ECOWAS Authority of Heads of States and Government Elect New Chair, Appoints General Birame Diop as Commission President By Raymond Enoch
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday charted a new leadership course at its 69th Ordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, with Senegal emerging at the forefront of the regional Ibstitution’s political and institutional leadership.
In one of the summit’s most significant decisions, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal was elected Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, succeeding the outgoing Chair President of Sierra Leone, His Exvellency President Julius Maada Bio and pledging to steer the region through a period marked by political transition, security challenges and economic integration.
The Authority also appointed General Birame Diop, Senegal’s former Minister of Defence, former Chief of the General Staff of the Senegalese Armed Forces and former Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General, as the new President of the ECOWAS Commission.
General Diop will officially assume office on 1 September 2026 at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, succeeding the current Commission leadership led by Dr Omar Alieu Touray.
The twin appointments underscore Senegal’s growing influence within West Africa’s premier regional institution and signal a renewed push to strengthen democratic governance, regional security, economic cooperation and institutional reforms across the ECOWAS community.
The Freetown summit brought together Heads of State and Government from across the region to deliberate on pressing political, security and development issues affecting West Africa, with the leadership transition emerging as the defining outcome of the high-level meeting.
The decisions are expected to shape ECOWAS’ strategic direction as the Commission intensifies efforts to restore constitutional order, deepen regional integration and advance the objectives of ECOWAS Vision 2050.
