Senegalese President Bassirou Faye has been elected as the new Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, succeeding Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio.

Faye emerged as chairman during the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government held in Sierra Leone on Sunday.

He succeeds Bio, who assumed the chairmanship of the ECOWAS Authority in June 2025 after the end of former Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s two-term leadership of the regional bloc.

Tinubu handed over the leadership of the regional bloc to President Bio during the 67th Ordinary Session of the Authority, held in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.

Faye assumes the chairmanship at a particularly challenging time for ECOWAS, with security threats, democratic setbacks, and the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger continuing to dominate the regional agenda.

As the new chairman, Faye is expected to intensify efforts to rebuild trust and keep communication channels open with the three countries that have withdrawn from the bloc.

At 46, Faye represents a younger generation of African leaders.

His leadership could inject fresh momentum into ECOWAS’ reform agenda, particularly in the areas of governance, accountability, youth inclusion and institutional credibility.

His new role also places Senegal at the centre of major regional diplomatic and political decisions.

At the meeting, Biram Diop was also appointed President of the ECOWAS Commission, succeeding Dr Omar Touray.