Senegal’s President, Bassirou Faye, has been elected as the new Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), succeeding Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio.

 

Faye emerged as the new chairman during the 69th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS in Sierra Leone yesterday. He succeeds Bio at a particularly challenging period for ECOWAS, with security threats, democratic setbacks, and the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger still dominating the regional agenda.

 

As the new chairman, he is expected to intensify efforts to rebuild trust and keep communication channels open with the three breakaway countries. His leadership could inject new momentum into ECOWAS’ reform agenda, especially on governance, accountability, youth inclusion and institutional credibility.