67th ECOWAS Summit: H.E. Julius Maada bio, President of Sierra Leone, is the new chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government for a one-year term.

The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held its Sixty-Seventh Ordinary Session, today, 22 June 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria.

During the Session, the Heads of State considered the report of the 94^th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers, and reports on the State of the Community, the Security and Political Situations in the Region, among others.

H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, warmly welcomed ECOWAS leaders while paying tribute to Nigeria’s leadership and hospitality under H.E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Chairmanship of the Authority.

Dr. Touray highlighted ECOWAS’s achievements over the past 50 years, reaffirming its standing as Africa’s most advanced Regional Economic Community despite ongoing challenges. He stressed that dialogue with the three member states that have withdrawn is progressing positively, and he called for stronger support for the region’s private sector to drive sustainable growth, job creation, and deeper integration. He paid tribute to ECOWAS’s Founding Fathers for laying the foundation for unity and regional cooperation.

In his opening statement, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chair of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, reflected on ECOWAS’s remarkable achievements for the past 50 years while urging leaders to confront persistent security threats. He emphasized that no single country could tackle terrorism, violent extremism, and cross-border crimes alone, and called for stronger coordination, political will, and decisive collective action to safeguard peace and stability across West Africa.

“While celebrating our achievements over the past 50 years, we must also confront the challenges that continue to impede our aspirations; like the security threats, violent extremism and other cross-border crimes that continue to widen and deepen in their intensity. No single Nation

can address these challenges alone. We must rethink coordination, amplify political will, and prioritise a collective approach to security. We must act decisively on the fight against terrorism to serve as instrument for peace and stability for our region”, he stressed.

H.E. Leonardo Santos Simão, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), in his statement, conveyed the UN Secretary-General’s warm greetings and reiterated the United Nations’ commitment to supporting peace, security, and regional integration in West Africa. He highlighted the UN’s active diplomatic engagement across the region and underscored the urgent need for collective action against terrorism, which remains the most significant threat to stability.

In his message, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, delivered by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the African Union Commission, conveyed heartfelt congratulations to ECOWAS leaders and citizens on the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS. He celebrated ECOWAS’s legacy as a symbol of unity, resilience, and regional integration since its founding in 1975.

Looking ahead, the AU Chairperson urged a united and coordinated response to pressing challenges, including terrorism, violent extremism, and unconstitutional changes of government, while deepening efforts to tackle poverty and inequality. He reaffirmed the AU’s unwavering support for ECOWAS and called for a people-centred Community where youth and women lead regional transformation through innovation, technology, and quality education.

The Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government at the end of the Summit elected H.E. Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone as the Chairman of the Authority to replace H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, whose tenure came to an end. A communique will be issued at the end of the Summit.