World’s Oldest President Missing in Europe for Two Months: Search Oper

Paul Biya, the world's oldest president, has been missing in Europe for two months. The 93-year-old Cameroonian leader left the country on June 7 for a "brief private stay in Europe," according to his office.

A Leader's Longest Absence

Biya's prolonged absence has raised questions about his health and who is running the country in his stead. Government spokesman René Emmanuel Sadi told French radio RFI that Biya was in Geneva, Switzerland and was not hospitalized, but did not provide further details on his whereabouts.

The World's Longest-Serving Leader

Biya has been in power since 1982, when he assumed the presidency as prime minister following the resignation of the sitting president. He first won office in 1984 under a one-party system and has spent extended periods abroad during his presidency. However, his latest absence has revived concerns about his health and the governance of Cameroon.

The president's long rule has been marked by extended periods of absence, with rumors about his health and whereabouts being part of public life in Cameroon. His office has repeatedly pushed back against speculation that he was seriously ill or had died, with the government banning media discussions about his health in 2024, calling them a national security matter.

A Continent of Aging Leaders

Biya's long rule reflects a wider contrast across Africa, where several countries are still led by aging leaders whose political careers began decades ago. This is in stark contrast to the continent's young population, with many Cameroonians growing up with Biya as the only president they have ever known.

Nformi Bime, a 65-year-old retired teacher, is among those who have known only one president in their lifetime. "Growing up, President Biya was the only president I knew, so his presidency has been part of my entire experience of Cameroon," said Abit Riassai Acha, a 26-year-old doctoral student and community youth leader at the University of Yaoundé II.

Calls for Accountability

Abit Riassai Acha and many other Cameroonians have become accustomed to Biya's long absences, but they are still asking questions about how the country is being governed. Opposition leader Samuel Hiram Iyodi, who finished eighth in last year's presidential election, has called on parliament to ask Cameroon's Constitutional Council to consider whether Biya's absence amounts to a vacancy in the presidency.

Government spokesman Sadi dismissed concerns about a power vacuum, telling RFI that "President Paul Biya is alive" and "will soon return." However, questions about Biya's prolonged stay overseas have left officials publicly assuring Cameroonians that their president is still alive, with no clear indication of when he will return or who is running the country in his stead.

The President's Next Move

As the world waits with bated breath for Biya's return, one thing is clear: the 93-year-old president's prolonged absence has left a power vacuum in Cameroon, with many questions still unanswered about his health and who is running the country in his stead.

Source: JOY