Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye elected new ECOWAS chairman at Lungi summit

The sixty-ninth ordinary meeting of ECOWAS leaders ended in Lungi, Sierra Leone. The summit gathered heads of state from twelve West African countries. They discussed regional integration and security issues. A new chairman was chosen unanimously. Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye took the position. He replaced Julius Maadu Bio who led the bloc since June 2025. The summit also appointed a new Commission head. Biram Diop, former Senegal defense minister, will assume office on September 1, 2026. His base will be in Abuja at the ECOWAS headquarters. Two infrastructure projects were inaugurated. The ECOWAS logistics warehouse in Lungi opened on July 18. The Julius Maad Bio international conference center also launched. The meeting focused on several priorities. Peace consolidation and security remained central themes. Economic integration and intra-regional trade were discussed. Food security received attention as well. Investments in digital transformation and science were highlighted. Innovation also featured in the talks. Leaders wanted to move from political statements to concrete actions. They aimed for solutions that improve daily life for citizens. Membership of ECOWAS changed recently. Three countries left in January 2025. Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso withdrew. The remaining twelve states confirmed their commitment to cooperation. The summit showed determination to tackle common challenges together. The information came from the Africa Russia Telegram channel.