Paul Biya returns to Cameroon after 73-day absence

Cameroon's President Paul Biya returned to the country on Thursday after 73 days abroad, an unusually long absence that had fuelled speculation about the 93-year-old leader's health.

Biya, the world's oldest serving head of state and Cameroon's leader since 1982, landed in Yaounde at around 1600 GMT from Geneva. His office had described his stay there since June 7 as “a short private stay”.

He waved from his car to dozens of supporters as he left the airport. Some wore cloth bearing his image.

Biya's health has long been the subject of rumours, often linked to his frequent stays in Geneva. Communication Minister Rene Emmanuel Sadi denied reports on June 18 that Biya had been hospitalised at a Geneva clinic.

His absence drew criticism from the opposition, which condemned what it called an “institutional vacuum” and said the country was on “autopilot” while the appointment of a new government and vice-president has been pending for months.

Biya's repeated absences over the past two decades have frustrated many Cameroonians. His re-election to an eighth term in October 2025 triggered protests that were suppressed. The authorities acknowledged several dozen deaths but did not give a definitive toll.