” SIERRA LEONE’S ECOWAS SUMMIT MARKS A NEW ERA OF LEADERSHIP”

Freetown — Sierra Leone’s successful hosting of the 69th Ordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government has been hailed as a defining moment of national recovery and renewed regional stature.

Speaking at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s weekly press briefing on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, Executive Director of the Campaign for Good Governance, Marcella Samba Sesay, described the summit as proof that the country has completed a remarkable transformation.

“The country has transitioned ‘from being on the table to leading the table,’” Samba Sesay stated. She noted that for years, Sierra Leone’s affairs were frequently discussed by ECOWAS leaders in times of crisis. Today, the nation is not only hosting the conversation but setting the agenda for the entire sub-region.

As both host and Chair of the regional bloc, Sierra Leone welcomed Presidents and delegations from across West Africa to Freetown to deliberate on peace, security, economic integration, and democratic governance. The successful organization of the summit, Samba Sesay said, signals renewed confidence in the country’s institutions, diplomacy, and capacity to deliver at the highest level.

“This is more than protocol. It is about credibility,” she added. “It tells our people, our partners, and our neighbors that Sierra Leone has recovered, and that we are ready to provide leadership, not just receive it.”

CGG commended the government, civil society, and citizens for the unity and hospitality shown during the summit, saying moments like this rebuild national pride and project Sierra Leone as a stable, responsible voice in ECOWAS.

With the chairmanship now in its hands, the country has a historic opportunity to shape regional policy and drive integration from the front.