Senegal President Diomaye Faye Elected New ECOWAS Chairman

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has been elected Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

Faye emerged as the new leader of the regional bloc during the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority held in Sierra Leone.

He takes over from Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio, who assumed the position in June 2025 following the completion of President Bola Tinubu’s tenure as chairman. Tinubu formally handed over leadership of the bloc to Bio during the 67th Ordinary Session held in Abuja.

Faye’s emergence comes at a critical time for the West African regional body, which continues to grapple with rising insecurity, democratic challenges and strained relations with Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, the three countries that recently withdrew from ECOWAS.

As chairman, the Senegalese leader is expected to prioritise efforts aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and maintaining diplomatic engagement with the breakaway states in a bid to preserve stability across West Africa.

At 46, Faye is among a new generation of African leaders and is widely seen as bringing fresh energy to regional diplomacy. His leadership is expected to advance discussions on institutional reforms, democratic governance, accountability and greater youth participation in public affairs.