The Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government and President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, has commissioned the Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre and the ECOWAS Logistics Depot in Lungi, Sierra Leone.
The two facilities are expected to strengthen regional diplomacy, peace and security efforts, humanitarian response, and emergency interventions across West Africa.
The state-of-the-art conference centre will host the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on Sunday, July 19, 2026, while the logistics depot will serve as a strategic hub to support peace operations, humanitarian interventions, emergency response efforts, and the fight against terrorism and violent extremism in the region.
The commissioning ceremony brought together heads of state and government from ECOWAS member countries, senior government officials, diplomats, development partners, and leaders of the regional bloc.
Among those present were President Adama Barrow of The Gambia, President José Maria Neves of Cabo Verde, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal, President of the ECOWAS Commission Dr Omar Alieu Touray, Sierra Leone’s Vice-President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Amina Mohammed, and Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission Damtien Larbli Tchintchibidja.
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Addressing the gathering, President Julius Maada Bio described the conference centre as a strategic investment that would position Sierra Leone as a key destination for regional diplomacy and international engagements.
He said the ECOWAS Logistics Depot would improve the region’s preparedness for peace support operations, humanitarian assistance, and emergency response while reinforcing Sierra Leone’s role in promoting regional integration and stability.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, in his welcome remarks, said the logistics depot represents the fulfilment of a vision conceived more than two decades ago.
According to him, the facility demonstrates ECOWAS’ collective commitment to strengthening its peace and security framework and enhancing its ability to respond rapidly to crises affecting the region.
The commissioning of the facilities comes as ECOWAS continues efforts to deepen cooperation among member states and improve mechanisms for addressing security and humanitarian challenges across West Africa.
