Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute extending Goodbye to President Biya
President Paul Biya on Sunday, June 7, 2026, departed Cameroon for a private stay in Europe, according to an official statement issued by the Presidency of the Republic.
The trip comes approximately 238 days after the October 12, 2025 presidential election, making it President Biya's first known journey outside the country since securing re-election for an eighth term in office.
In a press release signed by the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency, authorities described the visit as a private stay and did not disclose the President's destination, the duration of his trip, or any details regarding his itinerary.
President Biya was accompanied by First Lady Chantal Biya and a delegation of senior presidential officials, including Samuel Mvondo Ayolo, Minister and Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency, Vice Admiral Joseph Fouda, Special Adviser at the Presidency, and Simon Pierre Bikélé, Chief of State Protocol.
The Presidency emphasized that the visit is strictly private and indicated that no official engagements or government activities are scheduled during the stay in Europe.
While private visits by the Cameroonian Head of State are not uncommon, Sunday's departure has drawn attention as it marks the President's first known foreign trip since the 2025 presidential election. Since his re-election, Biya has largely remained out of the international spotlight, carrying out official duties from within the country.
The official statement provided no indication of when the President is expected to return to Cameroon. It also did not specify whether additional members of the government or presidential staff would join the delegation during the visit.
At 93 years old, President Biya remains Africa's longest-serving non-royal leader and one of the world's longest-serving heads of state. His movements, particularly international travel, continue to attract significant public and political interest both at home and abroad.
For now, the Presidency maintains that the trip is a private visit, with no official programme attached to the President's stay in Europe.
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