The chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, has solicited deeper collaboration with fellow leaders to combat terrorism, enhance democratic governance, and invigorate intra-regional trade.

He also urged the leaders of member states to forge a stronger partnership between ECOWAS and Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, which had recently exited ECOWAS to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

A statement from the State House, Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Saturday said Bio made the appeal during his high-level visits to Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Cape Verde, and Senegal.

He was speaking during an audience with Presidents Umaro Embaló of Guinea-Bissau, Adama Barrow of The Gambia, Bassirou Faye of Senegal, and Prime Minister José Neves of Cape Verde.

The visits by Mr Bio, who was recently elected as ECOWAS chairman, aimed at strengthening subregional collaboration toward addressing the bloc’s critical challenges.

“He stressed the necessity of collective action to overcome challenges that impede economic integration and undermine peace and security in the subregion. The president also highlighted the urgency of bolstering cooperation with all ECOWAS member states, including those in political transition.

“These high-level engagements demonstrate the significance of cohesive leadership in overcoming the challenges facing the ECOWAS community,” the statement said.

Throughout the visits, Mr Bio is said to have expressed his gratitude for the honour done him by his West African counterparts in appointing him chairman during the bloc’s most critical moment.

Mr Bio’s hosts were said to have acknowledged the robust bilateral ties existing between their countries and Sierra Leone, and congratulated him on his election as chairman of the ECOWAS Authority.

The statement further quoted them as reaffirming their commitment to working with Bio to enable him to successfully accomplish his mandate.

It further said that Mr Bio was poised to draw on the experience and insights of previous chairpersons of the ECOWAS Authority to drive meaningful progress.

The ECOWAS chairman’s trip follows similar high-level visits to Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire.

(NAN)