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Sierra Leone's President Bio to be the
next ECOWAS chairman with region in turmoil
[June 23, 2025]
By DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN WILSON MCMAKIN
ABUJA,
Nigeria (AP) — Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio was chosen on
Sunday to be the next chairman of the West African economic bloc, ECOWAS.
The Economic Community of West African States, known as ECOWAS, was
founded in 1975, and is facing challenges due to rising violence, member
departures and economic disturbances. |
Damien Larbli Tchintchibidja, Vice president of the ECOWAS Commission,
left, Senegal's President Basirou Diomaye Faye, third from left, Nigeria
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar pose for a photo, prior to the
start of the ECOWAS meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, Sunday, June 22, 2025.
(AP Photo/Olamikan Gbemiga) |
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In
a statement following Sunday's announcement, Bio promised to
prioritize democracy, security cooperation, economic integration
and institutional credibility.
“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,” he
said.
Bio is currently serving his second term as president after a
contested election two years ago in the coastal West African
country.
He was president when ECOWAS imposed severe sanctions on Niger
following a coup two years ago. Niger cited the sanctions as one
of the reasons for leaving the bloc. Sierra Leone was one of the
countries that supported a military intervention in the country
in 2023.
At home, Bio is facing an ongoing synthetic drug crisis and a
stagnating economy.
Bio's new position comes as the region faces its most severe
crisis in decades with jihadist forces controlling vast swaths
of the Sahel, a semi-arid region south of the Sahara.
In the past few years, ECOWAS has struggled with the departure
of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger which have all faced military
coups. All three juntas left the bloc, and created their own
security partnership, the Alliance of Sahel States. They have
cut ties with the traditional Western allies, ousting French and
American military forces, and instead sought new security ties
with Russia.
The three countries have been the hardest hit by jihadist
violence in recent years.
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