Abuja, Nigeria, 31 August 2026 : The ECOWAS Commission held a formal welcome and send-off ceremony for incoming and outgone statutory appointees and Heads of ECOWAS Institutions, following the completion of the outgone leadership’s four-year tenure. During the event, H.E. General Birame DIOP of Senegal officially assumed office as the new President of the ECOWAS Commission, succeeding H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu TOURAY of The Gambia. H.E. Mr. Anthony OGUNJIMI of Nigeria also succeeded H.E. Mrs. Damtien TCHINTCHIBIDJA of Togo as Vice President. Held at the Commission’s new headquarters in Abuja, the ceremony included the unveiling of the ECOWAS@50 Special Exclusive Publication by Africa Agenda Network in partnership with the ECOWAS Commission, the symbolic presentation of the Management Performance Compendium to the incoming President, and the signing of handover notes by the outgone and incoming Presidents, Vice Presidents, and statutory appointees.

The other incoming statutory appointees are : Dr. Kalilou SYLLA (Côte d’Ivoire) Commissioner for Internal Services; Mrs. Francess ALGHALI (Sierra Leone), Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; Mr. Dehpue Yenpea ZUO (Liberia), Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture; Mr. Amin Amidu SULEMANI ( Ghana) , Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation; Prof. Nassirou BAKO-ARIFARI (Benin), Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs; Ms. Carla Maria Borges BETTENCOURT (Cabo Verde), Auditor-General for ECOWAS Institutions; Dr. Palokinam PITCHE (Togo) , Director-General of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO); and Mr. Mam Cherno JALLOW, Director-General of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).

In his farewell address, the outgone President, H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu TOURAY, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and reflected on the achievements of his four-year tenure, stressing that the outgoing leadership was leaving behind “not only memories, speeches and decisions” but also “a record” of institutional and regional accomplishments. In his inaugural address, the new President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. General Birame DIOP, called for renewed unity, solidarity and mutual respect as the foundation for advancing regional integration and strengthening the effectiveness of the ECOWAS Commission. He urged staff and stakeholders to work collectively to build a united, cohesive and efficient institution capable of responding to the aspirations and challenges of the West African region. “My solemn appeal to all of you is to make way for unity and solidarity, based on mutual respect,” he said, stressing that the strength of regional integration would be measured by the Community’s collective ability to remain united and purposeful. “A new chapter has been opened for West African integration. Let us work together to make it a chapter of peace, dignity and shared prosperity,” he declared.