The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday elected Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embalo, the president of Guinea Bissau, as its new chairman.

Embalo was elected during the 61st Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in Accra, the Ghanaian capital. He will replace Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Ghanaian president, who had been the chairman since September 2020.

“In a unanimous election, the authority of heads of state of ECOWAS elected Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embalo, president of Guinea Bissau, as the new chairman,” announced Akufo-Addo.

In his acceptance speech, Embalo promised to lead the subregional bloc to restore peace and stability to the subregion.

“Despite the challenges that we are faced with as a result of violent extremism and the current global crisis, I believe, the solidarity within ECOWAS will enable us to overcome these challenges,” said Embalo.