President Paul Biya Returns to Cameroon After 73-Day Absence

President Paul Biya returned to the Cameroonian capital, Yaoundé, on Thursday, August 20, 2026, following a 73-day stay in Geneva, Switzerland. The 93-year-old leader, who has held power since 1982, originally departed on June 7 for a brief private stay. This absence marked the longest period the president has spent outside the country during his tenure.

Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute and supporters of the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement greeted Biya at Nsimalen International Airport. The return follows weeks of speculation regarding a power vacuum and the president's health, though Communication Minister René Sadi denied reports that Biya had been hospitalized while abroad.

Opposition leaders criticized the prolonged absence, with Univers party leader Prosper Nkou Mvondo describing the return as a spectacle and claiming that Biya does nothing when present in the country. Conversely, Minister of Higher Education James Fame Ndongo dismissed claims that the government had been running on autopilot. The return occurs as Cameroon continues to face a decade-long secessionist conflict in English-speaking regions and threats from Islamic State affiliates in the north. While a constitutional amendment in April 2026 re-established the vice president role to clarify succession, Biya has not yet appointed a successor.