By Segun Ojumu, Abuja
A former Senegalese defence minister and military chief has officially taken charge of the West African regional bloc ECOWAS, assuming leadership at a critical juncture for regional stability and economic integration.
General Birame Diop assumed office as President of the ECOWAS Commission during a handover ceremony in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. He succeeds Dr Omar Alieu Touray of The Gambia, following his appointment by regional leaders at the bloc’s 69th summit in Sierra Leone.
Nigeria, the region’s largest economy and financial heavyweight, used the transition to reaffirm its commitment to the 15-member bloc, while calling for greater financial accountability and renewed effort to heal regional divisions.
Speaking on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, urged the incoming management to build an “ECOWAS of citizens and not of governments.”
Enikanolaiye stressed that peace and security remain the fundamental bedrock of regional development, calling on the new leadership to prioritize economic integration, free movement, and trade, while pushing for re-engagement with break-away member states.
The transition comes at a delicate period for ECOWAS, which has faced severe political shocks following a series of military coups across West Africa. The bloc has been working to navigate tensions with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—all of which announced withdrawals from the regional body following military takeovers.
In his address, Enikanolaiye called for intensified diplomatic engagement with the AES nations, referring to them as “brothers and sisters with shared challenges and aspirations.”
He also issued a clear directive on internal governance, warning that financial probity, cost-effectiveness, and prudent management must guide the bloc’s administration to justify the heavy investments made by member states through community contributions.
General Diop, who takes over alongside new Vice President Anthony Ogunjimi of Nigeria and a fresh cabinet of commissioners, pledged to provide strategic leadership focused on regional security, economic cooperation, and institutional reform.
The handover ceremony in Abuja was attended by senior regional diplomats, representatives of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, and prominent business leaders, including the chair of the ECOWAS Business Council, Aliko Dangote.
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