Francess Piagie Alghali is, since September 1, 2026, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)for the 2026–2030 mandate. A distinguished Sierra Leonean leader, she brings to this role more than two decades of high-level experience in governance, diplomacy, human rights, and academic administration.

She served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone (2023-2026), where she has supported the country’s foreign policy objectives and played a strategic role during Sierra Leone’s tenure at the United Nations Security Council (2024–2025). She presided over landmark briefings on Women, Peace and Security and on Climate and Security, underscoring her commitment to inclusive peacebuilding and environmental security. Previously, she was Minister of State in the Office of the Vice President (2018–2023), supervising key national initiatives such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) including serving on its International Board, the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) program, and public–private partnership frameworks.

From 2010 to 2015, Francess Alghali served as Executive Secretary of the Sierra Leone Human Rights Commission, where she successfully managed major UNDP, UNPBF, UNFPA, and OSI-funded projects. She oversaw the production of five national human rights reports, organized the Commission’s first public hearings, including investigations into post-conflict veterans’ claims and mining-related abuses—and strengthened institutional capacity through reforms in performance management and staff development.

Her earlier career was rooted in academia, where she became the first Registrar of Njala University (2005–2010), leading the transformation that established Njala as Sierra Leone’s second public university. She had previously served in progressively senior administrative roles at the University of Sierra Leone (1988–2005), where she managed academic governance, personnel systems, admissions, examinations, and institutional partnerships.

Francess Alghali holds a Bachelor’s degree in Modern History, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, and a Master’s degree in Education Administration. She has participated in numerous professional development programs and international conferences on leadership, strategic change, human rights, women’s leadership, and higher education management, where she has presented research papers.

Her core competencies include policy development, program and project management, financial and human resource management, human rights advocacy, peacebuilding and conflict resolution, and strategic partnerships. She is fluent in Englishand proficient in French, enabling her to operate effectively in diverse international and regional settings.

Through her leadership in government, academia, and human rights institutions, Francess Piagie Alghali has demonstrated a consistent ability to drive reforms, foster inclusive dialogue, and strengthen institutional frameworks. Her appointment as ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security reflects her stature as a respected stateswoman and her enduring commitment to peace, democracy, and regional integration in West Africa.