The Economic Community of West African States has approved a fresh round of appointments into key statutory and leadership positions across its institutions for the 2026 to 2030 term.
The decisions were announced in a communiqué issued at the close of the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government held in Lungi, Sierra Leone.
The newly approved appointments cover several strategic positions, including five commissioners for the ECOWAS Commission, five judges for the ECOWAS Court of Justice, the Auditor General of ECOWAS institutions and the Director General of the West African Health Organisation.
According to the communiqué, the Authority endorsed recommendations from the 96th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers regarding appointments into community institutions for the next four year term.
The five newly appointed judges of the ECOWAS Court of Justice are Awa Bah of The Gambia, Charlyne Brumskine of Liberia, Désiré Aihou of Benin, Henrietta Didigu of Nigeria and Yaouza Ouro Sama of Togo, who previously served as the court’s Chief Registrar.
Regional leaders also approved the appointment of new commissioners who will succeed the current members of the ECOWAS Commission as their tenures come to an end.
Those appointed include Mrs Francess Alghali of Sierra Leone as Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Mr Dehpue Zuo of Liberia as Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dr Kalilou Sylla of Côte d’Ivoire as Commissioner for Internal Services, Mr Amin Suleiman of Ghana as Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation and Prof. Nassirou Bako Arifari of Benin as Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs.
The Authority also appointed Ms Carla Bettencourt of Cape Verde as Auditor General of ECOWAS institutions, Dr Palokinam Pitche of Togo as Director General of the West African Health Organisation and Mr Mam Jallow of The Gambia as Director General of the Inter Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa.
The communiqué further revealed that Nigeria was granted an additional two weeks to conclude consultations on the ECOWAS Vice President position allocated to the country.
The regional bloc expressed appreciation to the outgoing President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, for his service and contribution to the organisation during his tenure. It also welcomed his successor, General Birame Diop of Senegal, expressing confidence in his diplomatic, military and strategic experience to provide strong leadership and deepen regional integration.
The summit was chaired by Sierra Leone’s President, Dr Julius Bio, in his capacity as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
Among those in attendance were Benin’s President Romuald Wadagni, Cape Verde’s President José Neves, Gambian President Adama Barrow, Ghanaian President John Mahama, Liberian President Joseph Boakai and Senegal’s President Bassirou Faye.
Other participants included Côte d’Ivoire’s Vice President Tiémoko Koné, Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima, Guinea’s leader General Mamady Doumbouya, Togo’s Foreign Affairs Minister Robert Dussey and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ghazouani.
The gathering also featured several distinguished guests, including United Nations Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed, ECOWAS Chief Negotiator Dr Lansana Kouyaté, Chairman of the ECOWAS Business Council Alhaji Aliko Dangote, African Development Bank representative Dr Abdul Kamara, ECOWAS Special Envoy on Counterterrorism Ambassador Baba Kamara, Chairman of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme Taskforce Musa Sillah and Mahamadou Gado, who represented the President of the UEMOA Commission.
