About
Jacques Emmanuel Attoumbre is an Analyst at Concerto, based in Paris. He focuses on digital communications and supports research and strategic analysis on political and economic developments across Africa.
QUICK INSIGHTS
- A surprise appointment that breaks with tradition
- A summit organised in a tense regional context
- Four strategic priorities to restore constitutional order and boost economic integration
A surprise appointment that breaks with tradition
On Sunday, 22 June 2025, West African heads of state gathered in Abuja, Nigeria, for ECOWAS’ 67th ordinary session. In a surprising turn, President Julius Maada Bio was appointed as the organisation’s 37th chair, succeeding Nigeria’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
While ECOWAS’ rotating presidency has traditionally followed an informal balance among francophone, anglophone, and lusophone countries, that equilibrium was disrupted this year. The withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger altered internal voting dynamics, effectively weakening the francophone bloc by removing three key voices. In this context, the appointment of Julius Maada Bio, over Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, whose candidacy had appeared to command broad support, signals a shift in the regional body’s power balance. This outcome also compounds a recent diplomatic setback for Senegal, with Amadou Hott’s unsuccessful bid for the presidency of the African Development Bank.
A summit organised in a tense regional context
Maada Bio’s election comes at a time of heightened instability in the region. “West Africa is facing serious challenges, some longstanding, others new and evolving,” he stated, citing the worsening security situation in the Sahel, the spread of terrorism, political instability, and transnational crime. Nigeria—home to the ECOWAS headquarters—continues to experience a surge in terrorist attacks in its northern regions.
On the geopolitical front, ECOWAS is grappling with a the formal withdrawal of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso from the bloc, effective on 29 January 2025. Now aligned under the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), these countries are expected to complete their exit by the end of July, at the conclusion of a six-month transition period. In anticipation, West African leaders have appointed a negotiator to oversee the withdrawal process, while reaffirming their commitment to dialogue.
Amid this fragile context, Senegal and Togo have taken on a facilitation role, maintaining diplomatic ties with the AES countries while others have cut off relations. Recent visits by Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko to Mali and Burkina Faso, along with Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé’s continued engagement with the three Sahelian juntas, illustrate a parallel diplomatic track. While not formal mediators, both countries serve as significant channels for strategic dialogue at a time when institutional relations remain frozen.
Four strategic priorities to restore constitutional order and boost economic integration
Upon his appointment, Maada Bio laid out a roadmap built around four strategic priorities: restoring constitutional order in transitional countries, strengthening regional security cooperation, accelerating economic integration, and restoring ECOWAS’s credibility among citizens.
He called for a “redefinition of ECOWAS’s role” to move beyond its current image as a distant, technocratic, and biased institution. He envisions a more inclusive and people-centred organisation that promotes peace, opportunity and alignment with the aspirations of West African populations. This approach could mark a symbolic turning point in regional governance as ECOWAS seek to regain its effectiveness and public trust after years of political and institutional tensions.
However, Maada Bio’s ambitions are tempered by structural limitations. With only a one-year term, his ability to push through deep reforms is constrained. Persistent challenges such as institutional fragility, funding gaps, and weak operational coordination also risk slowing progress on his stated priorities.
