Sierra Leone’s president, Julius Maada Bio, has been chosen as the new leader of ECOWAS, the group of West African countries. He takes over from Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who held the position for the past two years.

The change happened during ECOWAS’s 67th ordinary session held in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Sunday. That’s where President Bio was officially made the new chairman.

Tinubu had earlier been re-elected to the same role in Abuja after first taking the position in Guinea-Bissau on July 9, 2023.

During Tinubu’s time as chairman, ECOWAS faced serious problems. Countries like Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso left the group after military takeovers in their nations.

After being elected, President Bio said he would focus on bringing back democratic rule and strengthening democracy across the region.

He also said that his goals include improving security cooperation between countries, supporting economic growth across borders, and making ECOWAS more trustworthy and effective.