Abubakar Hashim
ECOWAS Chairman, Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio, has urged African and European leaders to partner on a renewed strategy, built on mutual respect, shared responsibility and equality.
Bio made the demand on Sunday 23 November 2025 in Luanda, Angola, while addressing the 7th African Union-European Union Summit.
“ The world, today, is more interconnected than ever which makes it fragile and urgently requires deeper collaboration across continents”, Bio further remarked.
Cataloguing Africa’s progress in democratic transitions, Bio, however, conceded that Africa still faces significant challenges, including institutional fragility, unconstitutional changes of governments in coups, terrorism, armed banditry, poverty and underdevelopment”
He echoed ECOWAS zero tolerance for coups and the promotion of democracy and the rule of law, to sustain citizens trusts in governance
ECOWAS Chair Bio frowns at the alarming rate of terrorism and violent extremism in Africa, recording the highest numbers of deaths globally, stating further that peace cannot be enforced by bullets alone, but must also be nourished by inclusion, opportunity, justice and a state that the people trust.
As ECOWAS Chairman and Coordinator of AU Committee of 10, C10, on UN Security Council Reforms, Bio also called for the restructuring of the global system, to fast track fairness and legitimacy .
“ The reform of the Security Council is not a favour to Africa, but long overdue. It is not an anomaly of statistics, but a correction to history. Africa’s sovereignty is non negotiable. A partnership that perpetuates outdated hierarchies or remnants of colonial dominance is outrightly rejected.”
He however acknowledged the longstanding and cordial relations between Africa and the Europe, but urged for a renewed, impactful partnership, particularly in areas like climate innovation and resilience, digital innovation, industrialization, youth empowerment and investment in energy transition, to pave way for deep, structural investment in Africa’s economic engines
Africa, Bio concluded, is not seeking pity, but partnership, rooted in dignity, sovereignty, fairness and shred prosperity
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