President Biya's condolence letter highlights ties with Pope Francis

Barely a few hours after the Vatican announced Pope Francis’s death on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, President Paul Biya sent a letter of condolence to Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, expressing the nation’s grief over the pontiff’s passing. 

“In this painful circumstance, I wish to extend to you, as well as to the Roman Catholic and the family of Pope Francis, the sincere condolences of the entire Cameroonian people, along with the expression of my deep compassion and that of my wife,” Biya wrote. 

He recalled his private discussions with the late pope. “I retain a heartfelt memory of the warm exchanges I had with His Holiness during my official visits to the Holy See,” he added. 

Biya met Francis twice during his papacy. Their first encounter occurred in October 2013 at Rome’s Apostolic Palace, where the Cameroonian leader accompanied by his wife, Chantal Biya praised the Catholic Church’s role in Cameroon’s development. 

A statement from the Etoudi Palace noted that Biya had “expressed his high appreciation for the Church’s contributions in health, education, peace, and democracy.” 

The second meeting took place in March 2017, when the pope granted Biya another private audience at the Vatican. 

Pan-African media outlets reported that their discussion focused on human rights, minority protections, and Cameroon’s tradition of interfaith harmony. 

BY MICHAEL ANGE NGA

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Pope Francis thanks President Paul Biya for thoughtful gift as First Lady Chantal Biya and others look on