FREETOWN – The newly elected Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, has announced a productive meeting with former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. The meeting, which took place at the State House in Freetown, highlighted discussions on regional cooperation and leadership under ECOWAS.
President Bio, who recently assumed the rotating chairmanship of the West African bloc, disclosed the engagement via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, noting that Sirleaf extended her congratulations and shared insights on the importance of unified leadership across the region.
“I had a productive meeting with President Ellen Sirleaf, former president of Liberia, at State House. During our discussion, she confidently congratulated me on my recent election as Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, underscoring the vital role of collaborative leadership in driving our regional goals forward,” President Bio wrote.
Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected female head of state and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, served as Liberia’s president from 2006 to 2018. During her tenure, she was known for championing democratic values and regional diplomacy. Her meeting with President Bio is seen as a symbolic gesture of support and continuity in West Africa’s quest for unity and democratic stability.
President Bio’s election comes at a time when ECOWAS is grappling with significant political and security challenges, including military takeovers in member states, terrorism, and economic instability. His leadership is expected to be tested by efforts to restore democratic order in nations under transitional military rule and to bolster economic integration in the sub-region.
Observers have praised the interaction between Bio and Sirleaf as a constructive step toward harnessing the experience of former African leaders to guide current officeholders in navigating complex governance landscapes.
The ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government is the highest decision-making body of the regional bloc, and President Bio’s chairmanship is expected to focus on strengthening institutional cooperation, regional security, and inclusive development.
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