Cameroon: Paul Biya returns after seven weeks of absence
This Monday, October 21, Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, dressed up to the nines to welcome Paul Biya, the President of the Republic. Almost 92 years old, Paul Biya had been out of the country for seven weeks, fueling various speculations about his state of health. His return took place late in the afternoon at Yaoundé international airport, where a jubilant crowd had gathered to greet his arrival.
Images broadcast by national television CRTV showed the president, smiling, greeting the dignitaries who came to welcome him. The crowd, brandishing “Welcome back, Mr. President” posters, and ruling party activists lined up along the roads, set the mood for a warm reception.
Paul Biya left Cameroon on September 2 with his wife, Chantal, to attend the fourth summit of the Forum on Sino-African Cooperation in China. Since that date, little information has been communicated. Photos of meetings with business leaders, published on September 7, were the last official news on the presidency website.
The president’s prolonged absence from major events, such as the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September and the Francophonie summit in October, has raised many questions. During this period, rumors, notably relayed by a pro-independence channel based in the United States, circulated, even announcing his death. This information was quickly denied by the Cameroonian government, which assured that Paul Biya enjoyed excellent health and was on a private stay in Europe.
The return of Paul Biya thus marks the end of two months of speculation and vagueness around his state of health, reviving attention on his longevity in power, which he has held for 42 years.
