FREETOWN, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio has concluded his one-year tenure as chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government after commissioning two landmark regional facilities -- a conference center and a logistics depot -- and formally handing over the bloc's leadership to Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
The transition took place during the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority in the coastal town of Lungi.
Addressing leaders, Bio urged ECOWAS member states to prioritize investments in their citizens through food security, climate resilience, regional trade and accountable governance.
"A region that thinks together strengthens every Member State. A region that acts together secures a more peaceful, prosperous and resilient ECOWAS," Bio said.
He stressed that the bloc's future would be determined by implementation rather than declarations, calling for measurable outcomes and stronger regional cooperation.
Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh described the conference center and logistics depot as enduring symbols of Sierra Leone's growing regional influence, while ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray commended Bio's leadership during a period marked by political transitions, security threats and economic challenges.
The summit concluded with Bio formally transferring the ECOWAS chairmanship to Faye, marking the end of a tenure widely credited with advancing regional integration, peacebuilding and cooperation across West Africa. ■
