Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio has been named the new Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, taking over from Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose two-term tenure has officially ended. The handover took place during the 67th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority held in Abuja, Nigeria's capital. This announcement came amid earlier speculation that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal had been chosen in a closed-door meeting ahead of the main session.
In his acceptance speech, President Bio outlined his agenda, pledging to focus on "restoring constitutional order and deepening democracy, revitalizing regional security cooperation, unlocking economic integration, and building institutional credibility."
President Tinubu was first elected ECOWAS Chair in July 2023 in Guinea-Bissau and re-elected in 2024 in Abuja, following a collective decision to maintain leadership continuity in addressing the bloc's goals around security, reconciliation, and development.
During his farewell remarks, President Tinubu expressed gratitude, saying, "As we look forward to the future of West Africa, I remain positive that with the continued cooperation of all its members, ECOWAS will scale over greater heights in our collective pursuit of peace, security, stability, and prosperity for our people and for our region."
Reflecting on the past two years, he noted, “In the course of the past two years, we have faced complex regional challenges, political transition, and security trends. I thank everyone of you.”
He also called on fellow leaders to stay engaged with the region’s evolving needs, stating, “Let us deepen the cooperation upon diplomatic principle and foster inclusive growth that leaves none behind, especially our youth, women, and vulnerable population who remain central to the future of our region.”
Tinubu added, “Our organization must continue to strike a fine balance between its core original mandate of economic integration and the complex political security and government challenges, including democratic values in our region.”
“Economic integration cannot be superimposed on an untenable political environment. That is why we must remain steadfast in our resolve to rise to these and emerging challenges,” he concluded.
