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President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has been elected as the new Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), succeeding Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The announcement was made during the 67th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, held on Sunday in Abuja, Nigeria.
President Tinubu had initially assumed the leadership of the regional bloc on July 9, 2023, during a summit in Guinea-Bissau. He was later re-elected to continue for a second term, serving until the recent handover.
His tenure was marked by significant political challenges, particularly the withdrawal of three member states—Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso—following military coups in those countries. Tinubu’s leadership was largely focused on addressing the democratic backsliding and political instability that shook the region.
With his election as the new ECOWAS chair, President Bio takes the helm at a critical juncture for West Africa. In his acceptance speech, he pledged to focus on restoring constitutional rule in affected nations and committed to deepening democratic values and institutions across the region.
Bio emphasized that his leadership would prioritize revitalizing regional security collaboration to tackle persistent threats such as terrorism, armed conflicts, and transnational crimes.
He also expressed a strong desire to strengthen economic integration within the region, aiming to remove barriers that hinder trade and development among member states.
Additionally, Bio stated his commitment to rebuilding institutional credibility and trust in ECOWAS, noting that the bloc must reaffirm its role as a unifying force that upholds the rule of law, peace, and prosperity.
As the new chairman steps into this challenging role, expectations remain high that he will steer ECOWAS toward greater stability, democratic resilience, and economic progress.