On February 27, 1986, President Ronald Reagan held a press conference with Cameroonian President Paul Biya on the White House lawn.

In his remarks, Reagan praised Biya for his sound and dedicated leadership of Cameroon and commitment to the liberalization of the country’s political institutions.

Reagan said: “Today it’s becoming ever more clear to the emerging nations in Africa that Marxist and rigid statist models of development simply don’t work. Instead of economic development, political freedom and national stability, Marxism, an ideology totally alien to African aspirations, has produced nothing but deprivation, tyranny, and conflict.”

Reagan went on: “Cameroon is a shining example of how much can be accomplished when a more realistic and humane approach is taken to political and economic development. By allowing free rein of the enterprise and talents of the people and by providing incentives for them to work and earn, last year Cameroon’s economy grew at an annual rate of over 6 percent. Its per capita income is among the highest in Black Africa. President Biya’s government enjoys a balanced budget, and his country, thanks to the growing vigor of the private sector, is essentially self-sufficient in food. In short, President Biya’s wise policies have been a boon to his people.”

President Biya followed Reagan by stating that he and Reagan had just concluded a meeting that was based on “cordiality and mutual understanding….President Reagan is very much aware of the progress we have made. Our domestic policies are based on a free-market economy and democracy for most personal initiative and the creation of new businesses. Our growth rate has increased considerably. We have opened our border to foreign investors and we have excellent relations with Western nations.”

Biya went on to note that Cameroon at that time hosted about 100 American firms[1] and was generally “fertile ground for American investors. Our two governments have signed an agreement on the reciprocal protection of investments, which will certainly encourage them. Assistance from the American government has been of great help to us, particularly in the fields of agriculture, education, and health.”

The 1986 Reagan-Biya press conference is remarkable to read today given that, in late October 2025 at the age of 92, Biya became the oldest person ever to win a presidential election.

Now serving his eighth consecutive term, Biya first took power 43 years ago in 1982 after having served for a decade as Cameroon’s Prime Minister.

Source: Black Star News