West African regional bloc gives nod to freshly appointed leaders

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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has approved the appointment of new persons to fill its strategic statutory positions and specialised institutions from 2026 to 2030.

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This is contained in a communique on Tuesday at the end of the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Lungi, Sierra Leone.

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The new appointments include five commissioners for the ECOWAS Commission, five judges for the ECOWAS Court of Justice, an auditor-general of ECOWAS institutions and a director-general of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO).

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“The Authority endorses the recommendations from the Ninety-Sixth Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers relating to statutory appointments to positions in Community Institutions for the period 2026–2030,” it said.

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The new judges of the ECOWAS Court are Awa Bah (The Gambia); Charlyne Brumskine (Liberia); Désiré Aihou (Benin); Henrietta Didigu (Nigeria); and the current Chief Register of the ECOWAS Court, Yaouza Ouro-Sama (Togo).

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It said that the regional leaders also approved the appointment of five new commissioners to replace the outgoing commissioners at the ECOWAS Commission, whose respective tenures elapse soon.

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The new commissioners are Mrs Francess Alghali (Sierra Leone), commissioner, political affairs, peace and security; Mr Dehpue Zuo (Liberia), economic affairs and agriculture; and Dr Kalilou Sylla (Ivory Coast), internal services.

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Others are Mr Amin Suleiman (Ghana), Commissioner, Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation; as well as Prof. Nassirou Bako-Arifari (Benin), Human Development and Social Affairs.

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Also appointed are Ms Carla Bettencourt (Cape Verde), Auditor-General for ECOWAS Institutions; Dr Palokinam Pitche (Togo), Director-General, West African Health Organization; and Mr Mam Jallow (The Gambia), Director-General, Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa.

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The communique disclosed that the authority accepted Nigeria’s request for an additional two weeks to review and resolve the ECOWAS vice-president position, which was allocated to the country.

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While expressing profound appreciation to the outgoing president of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, for his distinguished service to the community, the authority welcomed his successor, Gen. Birame Diop (Senegal).

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“The Authority expresses confidence in the incoming President’s extensive diplomatic, military, and strategic expertise to provide strategic leadership to deepen regional integration and address regional challenges,” it added.

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The summit was chaired by Dr Julius Bio, Sierra Leone’s president and chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

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It was attended by Presidents Romuald Wadagni (Benin), José Neves (Cape Verde), Adama Barrow (The Gambia), John Mahama (Ghana), Joseph Boakai (Liberia), and Bassirou Faye (Senegal).

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Others are Tiémoko Koné, Vice President of Côte d’Ivoire; Kashim Shettima, Vice President of Nigeria; Gen. Mamady Doumbouya (Guinea); Robert Dussey, Togolese Foreign Affairs Minister; and Mohamed Ghazouani, President of Mauritania.

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Distinguished dignitaries also included Dr Omar Touray, ECOWAS President; Ms Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General; Dr Lansana Kouyaté, ECOWAS Chief Negotiator; Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman, ECOWAS Business Council; and Dr Abdul Kamara, AfDB representative.

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The list also included Amb. Baba Kamara, ECOWAS Special Envoy on Counterterrorism; Musa Sillah, chairman, ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme Taskforce; and Mr Mahamadou Gado, representing the President, UEMOA Commission. (NAN)

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