Senegal’s President Bassirou Faye takes charge of ECOWAS as bloc faces security and unity challenges

Senegal’s President Bassirou Faye takes charge of ECOWAS as bloc faces security and unity challenges
Senegal’s President Bassirou Faye takes charge of ECOWAS as bloc faces security and unity challenges - Senegalese President Diomaye Faye taking over the chairmanship of ECOWAS from Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio. (Photo: Ghana’s Foreign Ministry)
Senegalese President Diomaye Faye taking over the chairmanship of ECOWAS from Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio. (Photo: Ghana’s Foreign Ministry)

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Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye takes over the rotating chairmanship of ECOWAS as the regional bloc faces rising insecurity, member withdrawals and calls for major reforms.

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has been elected the new chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), taking charge of the regional bloc at a time it faces growing security challenges and concerns over its future unity.
Faye was unanimously elected on Sunday during the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Freetown, Sierra Leone, succeeding Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio, who had held the rotating chairmanship.
The summit, held in Accra, Ghana, brought together West African leaders to discuss regional integration, political and security challenges, institutional reforms and the financial sustainability of ECOWAS after one of the most difficult periods in the bloc’s history.

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In his acceptance speech, Faye described West Africa as “a region weakened by terrorism” and said the regional economy remained “resilient but still vulnerable.”
He called for urgent reforms to strengthen ECOWAS’s ability to respond to emerging threats and address challenges facing member states.
Among his key priorities, the Senegalese leader called for the operationalisation of the ECOWAS regional counter-terrorism force, increased sharing of resources among member states, greater financial independence for the organisation and stronger protection for communities affected by insecurity.

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Faye’s election comes as ECOWAS works to redefine its role following the formal withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in January 2025. The exit reduced the bloc’s membership from 15 to 12 countries and raised new concerns over regional unity.
Established in 1975, ECOWAS has been one of Africa’s most influential regional organisations, promoting economic integration, democratic governance and collective security across West Africa.
However, recent military coups, rising jihadist violence and disputes over sanctions have strained relations among member states and tested the bloc’s cohesion.
The summit also appointed Birame Diop, Senegal’s former Minister of the Armed Forces and former Chief of the General Staff of the Senegalese Armed Forces, as the next President of the ECOWAS Commission for the 2026-2030 term.
Diop is expected to assume office on September 1 at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, where he will oversee the day-to-day operations of the regional body.

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