Senegal’s President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has been elected as the new Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
Faye emerged as chairman during the 69th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), held in Sierra Leone.
He succeeds Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, who assumed the role in June 2025 after taking over from President Bola Tinubu at the 67th Ordinary Session of the Authority in Abuja.
Faye takes over the regional bloc at a critical time, with ECOWAS continuing to confront insecurity, democratic challenges and the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the organisation.
As chairman, he is expected to prioritise efforts to rebuild trust and sustain dialogue with the three breakaway countries while advancing regional peace, economic cooperation and democratic governance.
At 46, Faye represents a new generation of African leaders, with his emergence expected to 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 forefront of key diplomatic and political decisions shaping the future of West Africa.