Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has been elected as the new Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States, succeeding Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio at a critical moment for the region. Faye's unanimous election was announced on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at the conclusion of the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority held in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The handover was formalised at the Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre, where West African leaders gathered for the bloc's mid-year summit.
The summit focused on key policy decisions, strategic resolutions, and a collective reaffirmation of the region's commitment to peace, democracy, economic growth, and regional integration. Nigeria was represented at the summit by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who departed Abuja earlier on Sunday to stand in for President Bola Tinubu. Faye's ascension to the chairmanship caps a journey that has seen the Senegalese leader steadily cement his country's standing within the West African bloc. His election had been widely anticipated, though his path to the position was delayed a year earlier when Bio was elected instead at the 67th Ordinary Session in Abuja in June 2025.
At 46, Faye is one of Africa's youngest presidents and is expected to bring renewed momentum to ECOWAS reforms, particularly in governance, accountability, youth inclusion, and institutional credibility. As ECOWAS chairman, Faye, 46, will oversee the affairs of the organisation for one year. He takes over at a particularly challenging period for ECOWAS, with security threats, democratic setbacks, and the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from the bloc still dominating the regional agenda. As chairman, Faye is expected to intensify efforts to rebuild trust and keep communication channels open with the three breakaway countries.
The Senegalese presidency said in a statement that collective security, economic sovereignty, and fidelity to the founding fathers would chart the course of Faye's term. Speaking after his election, Faye said: "It is with humility that I welcome the trust placed in our country, called to the presiding presidency of ECOWAS. I thank my peers, Heads of State and Government, for this mark of trust and for the spirit of fraternity that presided over our work". He also congratulated General of the Army Birame Diop, who was elected President of the ECOWAS Commission for the 2026-2030 term, describing it as a major diplomatic win for Senegal. Diop, a former Minister of the Armed Forces of Senegal and former Military Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General, succeeds Gambian diplomat Omar Touray. It is the first time Senegal has been elected to preside over the commission since the bloc was created in 1975.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments