Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye elected ECOWAS chair

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has been elected as the new chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), taking over the leadership of the regional bloc at a summit in Sierra Leone. The 46-year-old president succeeds Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio, who had held the chairmanship since June 2025.

The election occurred on Sunday, July 19, 2026, during the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Freetown. Faye assumes the role during a period of significant challenge for the 15-member bloc, which is grappling with security threats, democratic setbacks, and strained relations with three former member states. Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger withdrew from ECOWAS in 2025 and have since formalized their own military alliance, the Alliance of Sahel States.

As chairman, Faye is expected to focus on rebuilding regional cooperation and trust. A key priority will be maintaining diplomatic channels with the breakaway states while pushing for internal reforms to strengthen governance, accountability, and youth participation within ECOWAS. His election is seen as signaling the rise of a younger generation of...