Sierra Leone on Tuesday transferred the chairmanship of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government to Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

The handover took place at the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority in Lungi, following the completion of President Julius Maada Bio’s one-year tenure as chairman of the regional bloc.

During the summit, Mr Bio inaugurated a regional conference centre and a logistics depot, describing the facilities as milestones in ECOWAS’ drive to strengthen regional cooperation and integration.

In his farewell address, Mr Bio called on member states to increase investments in food security, climate resilience, regional trade and accountable governance to advance sustainable development across West Africa.

He stated, “A region that thinks together strengthens every member state. A region that acts together secures a more peaceful, prosperous and resilient ECOWAS.”

He urged member states to focus on implementation, stressing that the bloc’s progress would be measured by concrete results rather than policy declarations.

The Vice-President, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, said the newly inaugurated facilities reflected Sierra Leone’s growing contribution to regional development and cooperation.

ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray praised Mr Bio for steering the organisation through political transitions, security challenges and economic headwinds during his tenure.

The summit ended with the formal transfer of the ECOWAS chairmanship to Mr Faye, ushering in a new leadership for the regional organisation.

(Xinhua/NAN)