Senegal has formalized its intention to see Air Force General Birame Diop, the current Minister of the Armed Forces, run for the presidency of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
According to a statement from the Ministry of African Integration, Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad published this Sunday, the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, has decided to propose this candidacy at the next Summit of Heads of State and Government of the sub-regional organization, scheduled for July 2026.
This initiative, the document emphasizes, reflects Senegal’s desire to make available to ECOWAS a personality deemed “of great value”, recognized for his leadership, integrity, command experience as well as his in-depth knowledge of the issues related to peace, security and regional integration.
General Birame Diop has a particularly extensive military and institutional career. He has notably held the positions of Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic, and Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
His experience also extends internationally, with his appointment as Military Advisor to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in the Department of Peace Operations, where he contributed to conflict prevention and peacekeeping policies. He also collaborated with the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies (ACSS) in training senior African civilian and military officials.
The press release also highlights his research on security sector reform in sub-Saharan Africa, conducted notably at the National Endowment for Democracy and the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. He is also presented as the founder of the African Security Sector Institute, later renamed Partners Senegal, which is committed to strengthening the continent’s strategic capacities.
With the support of international organizations such as the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), General Diop has participated in several security sector reform processes in various African countries, notably through the development of national defense and security policies.
Trained in several renowned military institutions, including the Royal Air School of Marrakech, the Air University of the United States and the War College of Paris, he also pursues academic work in diplomacy and international relations.
In a regional context marked by numerous security and institutional challenges, Dakar believes that his profile is an asset for strengthening the effectiveness of the ECOWAS Commission and supporting the sub-region’s ambitions for integration, stability, and development. The Senegalese government expresses its confidence in his ability to serve the ideals of the West African organization with “competence, impartiality, and dedication.”
