By Sallieu S. Kanu
Sierra Leone – March 10, 2026: Sierra Leone’s President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has received the African Union Special Representative for Mali and the Sahel, Mamadou Tangara, at State House in Freetown, reaffirming Sierra Leone’s commitment to regional unity and the reintegration of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) into ECOWAS.
Dr. Tangara’s visit formed part of consultations across West Africa to strengthen collaboration between AES and ECOWAS.
Delivering greetings from AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Tangara commended President Bio’s leadership in promoting peace and regional cooperation.
Tangara updated the President on recent engagements with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, noting encouraging signs of openness and dialogue since AES’s formation in 2023.
President Bio, as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, emphasized that reintegration of AES countries is vital for long-term regional stability and development. He assured the AU envoy of his full support in advancing dialogue aimed at restoring cohesion across West Africa.