Gambiaj.com – (FREETOWN, Sierra Leone) – Senegal’s General Biram Diop has officially taken over as President of the ECOWAS Commission, succeeding Gambian diplomat Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, who concludes his four-year tenure at the helm of the regional bloc’s executive arm.
The appointment was endorsed on Sunday during the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Freetown, Sierra Leone. General Diop will serve a four-year mandate from 2026 to 2030.
His appointment marks the end of Dr. Touray’s leadership of the Commission, a period during which ECOWAS grappled with some of the most challenging crises in its history, including a wave of military coups in West Africa and the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the bloc, as well as growing regional security threats linked to terrorism and violent extremism.
Senegal Assumes Dual Leadership
General Diop’s elevation comes at a historic moment for Senegal within ECOWAS.
The appointment coincides with the election of Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, giving Senegal simultaneous leadership of both the political and executive organs of the regional organization for the first time since ECOWAS was established.
General Diop’s candidacy was formally presented by President Faye on May 31, 2026, after Senegal secured the right to lead the Commission during the bloc’s 68th Ordinary Session held in Abuja in December 2025.
Distinguished Military Career
General Diop brings more than three decades of military and international experience to the Commission.
He previously served as Senegal’s Minister of the Armed Forces and has held several senior positions within the Senegalese military, including Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces from 2020 to 2021, Chief of the President’s Military Staff between 2018 and 2020, and Chief of Staff of the Air Force from 2015 to 2017.
Beyond Senegal, he also served at the United Nations as Military Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on peacekeeping operations, giving him extensive experience in international peace and security matters.
End of Touray’s Tenure
For The Gambia, the transition brings to a close Dr. Omar Alieu Touray’s stewardship of the ECOWAS Commission.
Touray assumed office in 2022 and led the Commission during a turbulent period for the 15-member regional bloc, overseeing efforts to restore constitutional order in member states affected by military takeovers while navigating institutional reforms and regional diplomatic challenges.
His successor now inherits the task of advancing regional integration, strengthening democratic governance and addressing the persistent security and political challenges facing West Africa over the next four years.
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