By Sallieu S. Kanu
Freetown, 7 July 2026: Sierra Leone will host the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on July 19, 2026, at the newly built Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre in Lungi, according to a statement from the Office of the Press Secretary, State House, Freetown.
President Julius Maada Bio, who currently serves as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority, will welcome regional leaders to the landmark summit, underscoring Sierra Leone’s growing role in advancing regional integration, peace, and development.
Ahead of the summit, Sierra Leone will host a series of mid-year ECOWAS statutory meetings at the Bintumani New Hall in Freetown:
- 39th Administration and Finance Committee: 12–14 July 2026
- 56th Mediation and Security Council (Ministerial Level): 15 July 2026
- Joint MSC/Council Meeting on the Compact of the Future: 15 July 2026
- 96th Council of Ministers: 16–17 July 2026
On July 18, 2026, President Bio will inaugurate the Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre and the ECOWAS Logistics Depot. The new facilities are expected to strengthen Sierra Leone’s conference and hosting capacity; enhance ECOWAS’s institutional logistics and operational readiness; and support regional cooperation and integration efforts.
The upcoming summit highlights Sierra Leone’s commitment to regional integration, peace and security, and shared development.
By hosting the 69th Ordinary Session, Sierra Leone positions itself as a key player in shaping the future of ECOWAS and strengthening collective action across West Africa.