Sierra Leone to Host ECOWAS Heads of State Summit in July

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June 9, 2026

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ECOWAS Chairman Bio, set to host biggest conference since 1980

By Abubakar Hashim

President Julius Maada Bio, current ECOWAS Chairman, will host the biggest conference of Heads of States, 46 years ago in 1980, when the country hosted the then OAU, now AU, under the presidency of the late Siaka Stevens.

Chairman Bio will host over 500 delegates, over 50 Heads of State, diplomats, and journalists from all over the world.

The ECOWAS conference hall, presidential villas, and guest houses are located opposite the Freetown International Airport in Lungi, a sprawling city, separated from Freetown by an estuary.

ierra Leone’s Chief Minister, Dr Senge, with officials, planning on completion of ECOWAS conference facilities for July summit

With just two years to the end of his final 5-year term in office, Bio wants to leave a legacy by hosting a conference of this magnitude.

3 Tasks Ahead of Summit

Escalating Insecurity in West Africa
⁠Regional Trade Barriers
⁠Migration, Residence, and Work Permits of ECOWAS Citizens

The upcoming ECOWAS conference in July will be the biggest conference ever, since the country last hosted Africa in 1980, when Siaka Stevens was President. The conference will spotlight Sierra Leone in the global arena, particularly its multiplier economic opportunities in bilateral and multilateral investments