DAKAR, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Senegal has decided to propose Birame Diop, its current minister of armed forces, for the presidency of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Senegalese Ministry of African Integration, Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad announced on Sunday.
According to a statement, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye will submit Diop's candidacy at the next summit of ECOWAS heads of state and government, scheduled for July.
The 68th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, held on Dec. 14, 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria, allocated the post of president of the ECOWAS Commission to Senegal for the 2026-2030 period, marking the first time Senegal has held the position.
Diop, an air force general, has served as chief of the general staff of the Senegalese Armed Forces, special chief of staff to the President of the Republic, and chief of staff of the Air Force. He also served as a military adviser to the United Nations Department of Peace Operations.
Dakar said Diop's military, institutional, and international experience makes him well placed to help strengthen the effectiveness of the ECOWAS Commission at a time when the region is facing major security and institutional challenges. ■