The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday charted a new leadership course at the 69th Ordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, with Senegal securing two of the bloc’s most influential leadership positions.
In one of the summit’s landmark decisions, Senegal’s President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, was elected Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, succeeding Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio.
In his acceptance, President Faye pledged to lead the region through a period defined by political transitions, security challenges, economic integration and institutional reform.
The Authority also appointed General Birame Diop as the next President of the ECOWAS Commission.
A former Minister of Defence, former Chief of the General Staff of the Senegalese Armed Forces and former Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General, General Diop will assume office on 1 September 2026 at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.
He succeeds the outgoing Commission President, Dr Omar Alieu Touray.
The appointments reinforce Senegal’s growing influence within West Africa’s premier regional organisation and signal a renewed commitment to strengthening democratic governance, enhancing regional security, deepening economic cooperation and accelerating institutional reforms across the ECOWAS community.
The summit, held in Freetown, brought together Heads of State and Government from across West Africa to deliberate on key political, security and development challenges confronting the region.
The leadership transition emerged as the defining outcome of the high-level meeting.
The decisions are expected to shape ECOWAS’ strategic direction as the Commission steps up efforts to restore constitutional order, deepen regional integration and advance the goals of ECOWAS Vision 2050.
