The presidential couple returned to Yaounde yesterday afternoon.

The Head of State, President Paul Biya and wife Chantal Biya, were given a warm welcome in Yaounde yesterday, August 28. When President Paul Biya alighted from the plane (Le Dja) at the Yaounde Nsimalen International Airport at 4:05 pm, he was received by the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Ephraim Inoni, the Minister of State, Secretary General at the Presidency, Jean Marie Atangana Mebara, the First Vice President of the National Assembly, Hon. Hilarion Etong and the First Adviser at the French Embassy in Cameroon, Philippe Truquet. After this, the Head of State and wife shook hands with other members of government and officials. Shortly after arrival at the airport, the Head of State granted audiences to the Prime Minister, the Minister of State, Secretary General at the Presidency as well as the First Adviser at the French Embassy in Cameroon. As President Paul Biya received in audience government officials, the First Lady, Chantal Biya also had discussions with her close collaborators and female members of government. Militants of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), Union des populations du Cameroun (UPC) and the National Union for Democracy and Progress (NUDP), all joined the members of government and the enthusiastic population at the airport to receive the Head of State. The population heeded the call of the Government Delegate to the Yaounde City Council, Gilbert Tsimi Evouna requesting them to come out massively to receive the presidential couple. As such, they lined up the street from the airport to the Unity Palace, showering praises at the Head of State. The high mobilisation was understood as President Biya was returning to the country from an official visit in France where he strengthened cooperation ties with France and wooed French investors to Cameroon. The entire nation awaited the arrival of President Paul Biya with pride due to his imprints left in the sands of history in the domains of diplomacy and peaceful settlement of conflicts. The Head of State’s return to the country came exactly two weeks after Nigerian forces in a historic ceremony on August 14, withdrew from the Bakassi Peninsula. The population expressed their gratitude to President Paul Biya through messages written in banners, "Mr President, you are a peacemaker among nations" and also, "Welcome Mr President. Thank you for bringing back Bakassi to the motherland".