Senegal's Sall is new ECOWAS chair

President of Senegal Macky Sall has been elected new Chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the 47th ordinary session of the ECOWAS authority of heads of states meeting in Accra, Tuesday.

He takes over from Ghana's John Mahama who was elected last year.

Sall has a tenure of one year and may get a renewal of mandate for another year.

His election comes at a time the regional group will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary. ECOWAS was founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos with a mission is to promote economic integration across the region.

Sall was grateful to member states for his election to the highest office of the regional body.

In his acceptance speech, the Senegalese president paid tribute to former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan for the role he played in the peaceful election conducted in Nigeria.

He said Jonathan's conduct was exemplary.
Early on Ghana's President John Mahama had also praised the statesmanship of Goodluck Jonathan which he said resulted in peaceful election in the largest and most populous country in Africa.

He said the name of Jonathan will forever be etched on the country's political history.