Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has emerged Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in the place of Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Bio succeeds President Bola Tinubu, who served as the bloc’s chair for the previous two years.
Announcement for the change of guard was announced at the 67th Ordinary Session of the Authority at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, Nigeria.
The meeting was Tinubu’s last as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, a role he assumed on 9 July, 2023, after his election in Guinea-Bissau.
He was re-elected for a second one-year term on 7 July 2024, in Abuja and will formally round off his leadership at the summit.
His chairmanship was challenged with the burden of restoring democracy in the region after Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso pulled out of the bloc following their coups.
Following his election, Bio promised to prioritize restoring constitutional order and deepening democracy in the fragmented region.
He also named revitalising regional security cooperation, unlocking economic integration, and building institutional credibility as his key priorities.
Tinubu said, ‘It has been a profound honor and privilege to lead this esteemed body, and I remain deeply humbled by the trust and support you have extended to me throughout my channel as I now hand over the mantle of leadership to my great friend and dear brother His Excellency, President Julius madabio of Sierra Leone, the new chairman of ECOWAS, authority of states and government.
‘I do so with a deep sense of fulfilment and of embassy for the future of West Africa’.
The 12 presidents arrived at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, at 05:05 pm local time.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, had hinted at the leadership change during the closing session of the 94th Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers on Friday night.
“As the agenda of the Summit we endorsed indicated, the election of a new Chair of Authority, this may be my last Council Session as the Chair of this Council,” Tuggar said.
