Sierra Leone’s President Julius Bio appointed new ECOWAS Chair
Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has been named the new chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), assuming leadership of the regional bloc at a time of mounting political, security, and economic challenges across West Africa. He takes over from Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The announcement was made during an ECOWAS summit on Sunday, June 22, as the 15-member organization grapples with the departure of some states, escalating jihadist violence, and growing instability in the Sahel region. ECOWAS, established in 1975 to promote economic integration and regional cooperation, now faces its most profound crisis in decades.
In his acceptance speech, President Bio pledged to steer the bloc towards strengthening democratic governance, enhancing regional security coordination, deepening economic ties, and restoring institutional trust.
“We are still confronting insecurity in the Sahel and coastal states. Terrorism, political instability, illicit arms flow, and transnational organized crimes continue to test the resilience of our nations and the effectiveness of our institutions,” Bio said.
Bio, currently in his second term as Sierra Leone’s president following a disputed election in 2023, assumes the chairmanship amid regional and domestic pressures. He led Sierra Leone during ECOWAS’s decision to impose sweeping sanctions on Niger after a military coup in 2023.
The disciplinary measures were a key factor behind Niger’s decision to exit the bloc, along with Mali and Burkina Faso, all of which are now ruled by military juntas. The three nations, once ECOWAS members, have since formed the Alliance of Sahel States, a joint security pact that rejects Western military presence and seeks closer defence ties with Russia.
Together, they represent some of the most conflict-affected territories in the Sahel, a region plagued by violent extremist insurgencies, deteriorating humanitarian conditions, and fractured state authority.
As ECOWAS seeks to recalibrate its approach in the face of political upheaval and security fragmentation, Bio’s tenure is expected to focus on rebuilding trust among member states and affirming the bloc’s role as a key player in preserving peace, promoting democratic governance, and defending economic unity in West Africa.
Written by Kweku Sampson
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