Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, current chairman of ECOWAS, met with General Birame Diop on Thursday ahead of his September 1 assumption of the chairmanship of the ECOWAS Commission. Discussions focused on Senegal’s priorities, including the launch of the ECO currency project, improved payment of community levies, free movement of people and goods, and the operationalization of an ECOWAS counter-terrorism brigade.
The meeting also addressed efforts to rebuild dialogue between ECOWAS and the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), comprising Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which have withdrawn from the regional bloc. The situation in Guinea-Bissau was also discussed, with Senegal serving as ECOWAS facilitator in the crisis. General Diop said the discussions would help the Commission support Dakar’s mediation efforts in a pragmatic and effective manner, as Senegal assumes a central role in ECOWAS governance for the 2026–2030 period.
