From Freetown to Abuja: Bio Charts Bold Vision as ECOWAS Chair
President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has officially assumed the Chairmanship of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), succeeding Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In his acceptance speech at the ECOWAS Summit, Bio expressed deep gratitude and a solemn sense of responsibility, declaring that West Africa stands at a defining crossroads.
“Thank you for placing your trust in me and in the Republic of Sierra Leone,” he said, vowing to uphold the region’s values of peace, democracy, and economic integration.
Acknowledging the foundational work of his predecessor, President Tinubu, Bio praised his “unwavering commitment to regional dialogue, economic recovery, and peacebuilding.” He promised to build on this legacy with a reform-driven, people-centered approach to ECOWAS governance.
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President Bio outlined four key priorities: restoring constitutional order and democracy, overhauling regional security cooperation, unlocking economic integration, and rebuilding ECOWAS’ institutional credibility. He emphasized that democracy must go beyond elections to include accountability and youth inclusion.
With growing threats including terrorism, political instability, and climate-related crises, Bio called for urgent action, unity, and “moral clarity.” “West Africa’s future is not one of decline, but of possibility,” he asserted.
