Cameroon’s 93-year-old President Paul Biya returned to the country on August 20, 2026, ending a 73-day stay in Europe that had raised questions about his prolonged absence from public life.
Biya arrived in Yaoundé from Geneva, Switzerland, accompanied by First Lady Chantal Biya. His office had initially described his departure on June 7 as a “brief private stay in Europe.”
The 73-day absence was one of the longest uninterrupted periods Biya had spent outside Cameroon during his presidency. His prolonged stay in Geneva prompted opposition figures to question the continuity of government, while officials insisted that he remained in charge of state affairs.
Cameroon’s government spokesman, René Emmanuel Sadi, had rejected reports that Biya was hospitalised in Geneva and said the president was alive and would return to Cameroon.
Biya’s absence also attracted international attention because he is the world’s oldest serving head of state and has ruled Cameroon since 1982.
During his stay abroad, Biya continued to issue presidential decisions. On August 3, for example, he signed decrees appointing new senior military commanders and making other changes within the armed forces.
His prolonged absence came less than a year after he won a disputed eighth presidential term in the October 2025 election. Opposition groups challenged the election result, while Biya and his government maintained his victory.
Biya’s return was met by supporters at Yaoundé’s international airport before he proceeded to the presidential palace with the First Lady.
The Cameroonian presidency subsequently confirmed that Biya had returned to Yaoundé on August 20 following his private European stay.
As of September 16, 2026, the credible sources reviewed for this report do not show that Biya has made another departure from Cameroon for Europe following his August return.
