Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye is elected Chairman of ECOWAS, taking over from Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio. The decision is made during the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government’s 69th Ordinary Session held in Lungi, Sierra Leone. Sources report that Faye leads the bloc for a one-year term, overseeing ECOWAS affairs during his chairmanship. In parallel, ECOWAS also names Birame Diop as President of the ECOWAS Commission for the 2026–2030 term. Diop succeeds Omar Touray, who has served as Commission president since 2022. Multiple outlets describe the election as a diplomatic development for Senegal and note that it is the first time Senegal presides over the Commission since ECOWAS was created in 1975. ECOWAS leaders cite priorities including collective security and economic sovereignty, as well as adherence to the founding principles of the bloc. The Senegalese presidency and Faye also express support for the incoming Commission president and reiterate aims for a more united and reconciled West Africa.