Abuja: The ECOWAS Commission has held a formal welcome and send-off ceremony for incoming and outgone statutory appointees and Heads of ECOWAS Institutions following the completion of the outgone leadership's four-year tenure. During the event, His Excellency, General Birame Diop of Senegal officially assumed office as the new President of the ECOWAS Commission, succeeding H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray of The Gambia. H.E. Mr. Anthony Ogunjimi of Nigeria also succeeded H.E. Mrs. Damtien Tchintchibidja of Togo as Vice President.
According to African Press Organization, the ceremony was held at the Commission's new headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria. The event included the unveiling of the ECOWAS@50 Special Exclusive Publication by Africa Agenda Network in partnership with the ECOWAS Commission, the symbolic presentation of the Management Performance Compendium to the incoming President, and the signing of handover notes by the outgone and incoming Presidents, Vice Presidents, and statutory appointees.
Other incoming statutory appointees include Dr. Kalilou Sylla (C´te d'Ivoire) as Commissioner for Internal Services; Mrs. Francess Piagie Alghali (Sierra Leone) as Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; Mr. Dehpue Yenpea Zuo (Liberia) as Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture; Mr. Amin Amidu Sulemani (Ghana) as Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation; Prof. Nassirou Bako-Arifari (Benin) as Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs; Ms. Carla Maria Borges Bettencourt (Cabo Verde) as Auditor-General for ECOWAS Institutions; Dr. Palokinam Pitche (Togo) as Director-General of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO); and Mr. Mam Cherno Jallow as Director-General of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).
The outgone statutory appointees are Dr. Habibu Bappah, Commission for Internal Services; Dr. Kalilou Sylla (Ivory Coast), Commissioner, Economic Affairs and Agriculture; Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr (Senegal), Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs; Mr. Joao Alage Mamadu Fadia (Guinea-Bissau), Auditor-General for ECOWAS Institutions; and Dr. Melchior Assi (Benin Republic), West African Health Organisation (WAHO). In his farewell address, the outgoing President, H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and reflected on the achievements of his four-year tenure, emphasizing the legacy of institutional and regional accomplishments.
In his inaugural address, the new President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Retired General Birame Diop, called for renewed unity, solidarity, and mutual respect as the foundation for advancing regional integration and strengthening the effectiveness of the ECOWAS Commission. He urged staff and stakeholders to work collectively to build a united, cohesive, and efficient institution capable of responding to the aspirations and challenges of the West African region.
Nigeria's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, urged the new leadership of the ECOWAS Commission to emphasize the effective implementation of regional programs and projects that deliver tangible, measurable, and lasting results. He stressed that ECOWAS must remain focused on initiatives that improve the lives of Community citizens, strengthen regional integration, and contribute to peace, security, and sustainable development across West Africa.
Ambassador Enikanolaiye reaffirmed Nigeria's commitment to supporting ECOWAS and its efforts to deepen regional cooperation, noting that the effectiveness and relevance of the Community will ultimately be measured by its ability to translate its policies, programs, and collective commitments into concrete improvements in the lives of West Africans.
As ECOWAS moves into a new phase under its new leadership, the call is clear: regional integration must move beyond commitments to measurable results. By strengthening cooperation, delivering on priority programs, and keeping the needs of Community citizens at the heart of its work, ECOWAS can renew confidence in the regional project and reaffirm its enduring promise of a more peaceful, connected, prosperous, and united West Africa.