By Saidu Jalloh, Daily Scope Reporter
The 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government wrapped up in Lungi on Sunday, with West African leaders reaffirming their commitment to regional unity, peace, security and economic integration.
Hosted at the newly inaugurated Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre, the summit brought together Presidents, senior officials and regional stakeholders to address key challenges facing the 12-member bloc.
Discussions focused on strengthening collective security, accelerating economic integration, expanding intra-ECOWAS trade, and tackling youth unemployment. Leaders also examined strategies to counter threats to democracy and stability across the sub-region.
In a major development, the Authority commissioned the new ECOWAS Logistics Depot in Lungi. Officials noted that the facility will boost the bloc’s operational readiness by improving coordination for peacekeeping, humanitarian and emergency response missions across West Africa.
The summit also marked a leadership transition. Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye was elected as the new Chairman of ECOWAS, succeeding Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio.
President Bio handed over the bloc’s rotating leadership after a one-year tenure focused on combating insecurity, deepening economic ties, and responding to political crises in the region.
President Faye assumes office at a challenging time for ECOWAS, which is grappling with militant violence in the Sahel, concerns over democratic backsliding, and the recent withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the organization.
As Chairman, President Faye is expected to lead efforts to strengthen regional cooperation, advance economic integration, and promote dialogue on peace, security and constitutional governance.
The session concluded with a renewed call for stronger collaboration among member states to build a more secure, resilient and prosperous West Africa.
For Sierra Leone, the successful hosting of the summit represents a significant diplomatic milestone and underscores the country’s growing role in fostering dialogue and unity within ECOWAS.
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