ABUJA (CONVERSEER) – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has elected Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio as the new chairman of the bloc on Sunday, in Abuja, during the organisation’s 67th summit.
Taking over from Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Maada Bio praised his predecessor’s efforts in promoting regional dialogue and economic stability.
In his inaugural speech, he described the sub region as being “at a crossroads,” citing rising insecurity, political instability, youth unrest, and economic vulnerability as pressing regional concerns.
Maada Bio outlined four key priorities for his tenure:
- Restoring constitutional order and supporting democratic institutions;
- Overhauling regional security cooperation through intelligence sharing and rapid response mechanisms;
- Accelerating economic integration by advancing the African Free Trade Area and regional infrastructure; and
- Reforming ECOWAS to make it more transparent, efficient, and responsive to citizens.
