Cameroon's 93-Year-Old President Returns After Two-Month Absence
President Paul Biya returned to Cameroon on Thursday after a 10-week stay in Geneva, easing concerns over his health and the country's political stability.
Cameroon's President Paul Biya has returned to the capital, Yaoundé, after spending more than two months abroad, ending a period of intense speculation about his health and the possibility of a leadership vacuum.
Biya, who is 93 years old and the world's oldest sitting president, landed at the international airport in Yaoundé on Thursday aboard a flight from Geneva, Switzerland. His absence had stretched to over ten weeks, making it the longest recorded time he has spent away from the country during his presidency.
The president had left Cameroon on June 7 for what his office described as a brief private stay in Europe. However, the extended duration of his trip fueled concerns both domestically and internationally, given his age and the lack of a clear succession plan.
Biya has ruled Cameroon since 1982 and began his eighth term in office in November, following an election in October that was widely disputed. His return is expected to ease anxieties among citizens and observers who were watching for signs of political instability in the Central African nation.