Birame Diop Takes ECOWAS to UNGA, Begins First Global Assignment as Commission President By Raymond Enoch
The newly inaugurated President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, H.E. General Birame Diop, has made his first major international engagement since assuming office, leading the regional organisation’s delegation to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
Diop’s participation at the UNGA marks his first high-level assignment on the global diplomatic stage since taking over the leadership of the ECOWAS Commission on August 31, 2026.
The Senegalese retired General was appointed President of the ECOWAS Commission at the 69th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and succeeded Dr. Omar Alieu Touray of The Gambia.
His debut international engagement comes at a significant period for West Africa, with regional integration, peace and security, economic cooperation and relations between ECOWAS and continental and global institutions featuring prominently in diplomatic discussions.
On the margins of the UN General Assembly, Diop met with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. The AU said the two leaders discussed the central role of Regional Economic Communities in Africa’s development and integration and reaffirmed their commitment to closer cooperation based on complementarity, subsidiarity and solidarity.
The meeting provided an early indication of the new ECOWAS administration’s engagement with the African Union and its broader continental agenda.
Diop also led an ECOWAS delegation in a meeting with Nigeria’s Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, in New York.
During the meeting, Shettima urged the new ECOWAS leadership to place regional unity and integration at the centre of its efforts to advance the development and economic interests of West Africans.
The Vice President called for stronger bridges of friendship among member states and policies capable of improving the lives and livelihoods of citizens across the sub-region. He also urged the ECOWAS leadership to deepen private-sector participation in major regional infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Abidjan Highway.
The engagement also offered an opportunity for the new ECOWAS President to acknowledge Nigeria’s historic contribution to the establishment and sustenance of the regional organisation.
Diop assumed office in Abuja with a call for a renewed emphasis on unity, solidarity and mutual respect, describing these principles as essential to strengthening the effectiveness of the regional institution.
In his inaugural address, he urged ECOWAS staff and stakeholders to work collectively towards building a cohesive and effective institution capable of responding to the challenges and aspirations of West African citizens.
Before his appointment, Diop served Senegal in senior defence and military positions, including as Minister of Defence and Chief of the General Staff of the Senegalese Armed Forces. ECOWAS also notes his previous service as an adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General.
His first international assignment as ECOWAS Commission President therefore comes against the backdrop of his extensive experience in security, diplomacy and multilateral affairs.
The New York engagements have also placed the new ECOWAS administration in direct contact with key continental and international stakeholders at the outset of its four-year mandate.
For an organisation navigating questions around regional unity, security, economic integration and cooperation with international partners, Diop’s appearance at the UNGA provides an early platform for presenting ECOWAS priorities within the wider multilateral system.
The President’s participation at the 81st UN General Assembly consequently represents more than a ceremonial first overseas engagement: it is an early diplomatic test of how the new ECOWAS administration intends to position West Africa within the African and global multilateral architecture.
