Cameroon President Paul Biya Returns After Over Two Months Abroad

President Paul Biya arrived at Yaoundé's international airport on Thursday after more than ten weeks away in Europe, ending a trip that had sparked speculation about his health and the possibility of a power vacuum in Cameroon. The 93-year-old leader, who has been in power since 1982, left the country on June 7 for a "brief private stay in Europe," according to his office, but the absence became the longest recorded during his tenure.

Biya, who began his eighth term in November following a contested election in October, was not shown exiting the aircraft and did not hold a press briefing. He was observed waving to supporters from his vehicle as his close collaborators greeted him at the airport.

The president’s health has been a recurring subject of public interest, as he frequently spends extended periods in France and Switzerland, delegating authority to senior party officials and family members. Cameroon’s constitution does not bar a president from leaving the country for months, and the nation currently lacks a vice president, a position that Biya can appoint and dismiss at will.

Opposition figures have described the governance structure as operating on "autopilot" and criticized the recent parliamentary reinstatement of the vice-president post as a "power grab" because the office’s powers are defined by the president.

Biya’s long rule has coincided with ongoing security challenges, including Boko Haram insurgencies in the north and separatist movements in the west, as well as economic stagnation that has left many young Cameroonians disillusioned. Protests after his 2023 re-election resulted in at least 16 deaths, according to official figures, highlighting tensions between a youthful population and the aging leader.