Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has been elected as the new Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), succeeding Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The announcement was made during the 67th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS, held on Sunday in Abuja, Nigeria.
President Bio, who first served briefly as Sierra Leone’s military leader in 1996 before returning to power through democratic elections in 2018, secured a second presidential term in 2023.
His appointment to the ECOWAS chairmanship comes at a pivotal moment for the regional bloc, which is facing mounting challenges related to political instability and regional security.
Three member states — Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger — are currently under military rule and have withdrawn from ECOWAS to form a separate alliance known as the Alliance of Sahel States.
President Bio is expected to serve a one-year term, during which observers will watch closely to see whether he makes efforts to re-engage with the breakaway nations.
Former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama was also in attendance at the summit and has since returned to Accra.
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