Militants of Cameroonian President Paul Biya's ruling party march during the National Youth Day in Yagoua, Cameroon February 11, 2023. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya and his wife Chantal Biya wave to French President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured) as he leaves the presidential palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya and his wife Chantal Biya walk after French President Emmanuel Macron, after their meeting at the presidential palace, in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya shakes hands with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, as Biya's wife Chantal looks on, after their meeting at the presidential palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron as Biya's wife Chantal looks on, after their meeting at the presidential palace, in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue. 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron as Biya's wife Chantal looks on, after their meeting at the presidential palace, in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue. 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya shakes hands with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, as Biya's wife Chantal looks on, after their meeting at the presidential palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya waits to welcome his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the presidencial palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue. 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya welcomes his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the presidential palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue. 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya welcomes his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the presidencial palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue. 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya shakes hands with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the presidencial palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue. 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya welcomes his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the presidencial palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue. 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya shakes hands with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the presidencial palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue. 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya shakes hands with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the presidencial palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue. 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya welcomes his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the presidencial palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue. 

Cameroon's President Paul Biya shakes hands with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the presidencial palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue. 

Supporters of Cameroon's President Paul Biya wait to welcome French President Emmanuel Macron at the presidential palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue 

Supporters of Cameroon's President Paul Biya dance as they wait to welcome French President Emmanuel Macron at the presidential palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue 

Supporters of Cameroon's President Paul Biya wait to welcome French President Emmanuel Macron at the presidential palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue 

Supporters of Cameroon's President Paul Biya hold a poster as they wait to welcome French President Emmanuel Macron as he arrives for an official visit in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 25, 2022. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue. 

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Final - Senegal v Egypt - Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, Cameroon - February 6, 2022 Cameroon President Paul Biya and first lady Chantal Biya arrive at the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani 

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Final - Senegal v Egypt - Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, Cameroon - February 6, 2022 Cameroon President Paul Biya and first lady Chantal Biya arrive at the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani 

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Final - Senegal v Egypt - Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, Cameroon - February 6, 2022 Cameroon President Paul Biya and first lady Chantal Biya arrive at the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani 

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Final - Senegal v Egypt - Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, Cameroon - February 6, 2022 Cameroon President Paul Biya and first lady Chantal Biya arrive at the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani 

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Final - Senegal v Egypt - Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, Cameroon - February 6, 2022 Cameroon President Paul Biya and first lady Chantal Biya arrive at the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani 

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Final - Senegal v Egypt - Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, Cameroon - February 6, 2022 Cameroon President Paul Biya and first lady Chantal Biya arrive at the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani 

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Final - Senegal v Egypt - Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, Cameroon - February 6, 2022 Cameroon President Paul Biya and first lady Chantal Biya arrive at the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani 

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Final - Senegal v Egypt - Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, Cameroon - February 6, 2022 Cameroon President Paul Biya and first lady Chantal Biya arrive at the stadium before the match REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany 

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Final - Senegal v Egypt - Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, Cameroon - February 6, 2022 Cameroon President Paul Biya and first lady Chantal Biya arrive at the stadium before the match REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany 

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Final - Senegal v Egypt - Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, Cameroon - February 6, 2022 Cameroon President Paul Biya and first lady Chantal Biya arrive at the stadium before the match REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany 

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Group A - Cameroon v Burkina Faso - Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, Cameroon - January 9, 2022 Cameroon President Paul Biya and first lady Chantal Biya arrive at the stadium before the match REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany 

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Group A - Cameroon v Burkina Faso - Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, Cameroon - January 9, 2022 Cameroon President Paul Biya and first lady Chantal Biya arrive at the stadium before the match REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany 

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Group A - Cameroon v Burkina Faso - Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, Cameroon - January 9, 2022 Cameroon President Paul Biya before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani 

UPDATE Updated to reflect death of Chad President Idriss Deby President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has ruled Equatorial Guinea for more than 40 years – the longest continuous tenure of any current African leader – followed by Cameroon’s President Paul Biya who took power in 1982. 

Cameroon President Paul Biya attends the Paris Peace Forum, France, November 12, 2019. REUTERS/Charles Platiau 

Cameroon President Paul Biya attends the Paris Peace Forum, France, November 12, 2019. REUTERS/Charles Platiau 

Security guard walks beside the car of Cameroonian president Paul Biya as he leaves after casting his ballot during the presidential election, in Yaounde, Cameroon October 7, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Security guard walks beside the car of Cameroonian president Paul Biya as he leaves after casting his ballot during the presidential election, in Yaounde, Cameroon October 7, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Cameroonian president Paul Biya is pictured through his car window after casting his ballot during the presidential election, in Yaounde, Cameroon October 7, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Soldiers run outside a polling station where Cameroonian President Paul Biya voted for the presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 7, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

A policewoman stands guard outside the polling station where Cameroonian President Paul Biya casted his ballot during the presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 7, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Cameroonian President Paul Biya waves as he leaves the polling station after casting his ballot for the presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 7, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Security guards walk outside the polling station where Cameroonian President Paul Biya voted for the presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 7, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Security guards stand near the car of Cameroonian President Paul Biya as he leaves after casting his ballot for the presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 7, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Cameroonian President Paul Biya casts his ballot while his wife Chantal watches during the presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 7, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Cameroonian President Paul Biya's wife, Chantal, casts her ballot at a polling station during the presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 7, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Cameroonian President Paul Biya casts his ballot at a polling station during the presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 7, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Cameroonian President Paul Biya casts his ballot while his wife Chantal Biya watches at a polling station during the presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 7, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Cameroonian President Paul Biya casts his ballot at a polling station during the presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 7, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Cameroonian President Paul Biya casts his ballot while his wife Chantal Biya watches at a polling station during the presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 7, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Electoral workers prepare the polling station where President Paul Biya will cast his ballot in Sunday's presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 6, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Electoral workers prepare the polling station where President Paul Biya will cast his ballot in Sunday's presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 6, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Policewomen stand at a polling station where President Paul Biya will cast his ballot in Sunday's presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 6, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Policewomen stand at a polling station where President Paul Biya will cast his ballot in Sunday's presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 6, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Electoral workers hang posters with voting instructions at a polling station where President Paul Biya will cast his ballot in Sunday's presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon October 6, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

A man washes his motorcycle as he wears a cap with a picture of Cameroon President Paul Biya, who runs for re-election scheduled for October 7, in Yaounde, Cameroon October 3, 2018. Picture taken October 3, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Woman wearing a dress with a printed photograph of Cameroon President Paul Biya, who runs for re-election on Oct. 7, walks past a man washing his motorcycle in Yaounde, Cameroon October 3, 2018.Picture taken October 3, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

A man wears a cap with a picture of Cameroon President Paul Biya, who runs for re-election scheduled for October 7, in Yaounde, Cameroon October 3, 2018. Picture taken October 3, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Electoral Placards of Cameroon President Paul Biya, who runs for reelection scheduled for October 7, and candidate Joshua Osih of Social Democratic Front party are pictured in Yaounde, Cameroon October 5, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra 

Street vendors are seen near a wall covered with Placards of Cameroon President Paul Biya, who runs for reelection scheduled for October 7, in Yaounde, Cameroon October 5, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra