Freetown, Sierra Leone – July 7, 2026** — President Julius Maada Bio will host the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on July 19, 2026, at the newly named Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre in Lungi, the government announced today.
As the current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority, President Bio is set to welcome regional leaders for the high-level summit, which will be preceded by a series of mid-year statutory meetings in Freetown. The gatherings will bring together ministers, ECOWAS officials, delegates, and guests from across West Africa.
According to a statement from the Office of the Press Secretary, the preparatory meetings include:
– The 39th Meeting of the Administration and Finance Committee (July 12–14, Bintumani New Hall)
– The 56th Ordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council at the Ministerial Level (July 15, Bintumani New Hall)
– A Joint MSC/Council Meeting on the Compact of the Future (July 15, Bintumani New Hall)
– The 96th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers (July 16–17, Bintumani New Hall)
On July 18, President Bio is scheduled to commission the Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre and the ECOWAS Logistics Depot**. Officials say the new facilities will significantly strengthen Sierra Leone’s infrastructure and enhance ECOWAS’s institutional capacity in the region.
The government described the upcoming events as a reflection of President Bio’s strong leadership within ECOWAS and his commitment to deepening regional integration, strengthening peace and security, and advancing shared development across West Africa.
The summit comes at a critical time for the regional bloc as it continues to address political, security, and economic challenges facing member states.
