Guinea-Bissau assumed this Sunday, for the first time, the rotating presidency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Guinean presidency reported in a press release.

Guinea-Bissau has just made history. For the first time, hand in hand with His Excellency the President of the Republic, General Umaro Sissoco Embaló, our country wins the interim presidency of ECOWAS,” the statement read.

The decision was made during the ECOWAS Summit of Heads of State and Government, which took place this Sunday in Accra, Ghana.

“Guinea-Bissau thus achieves a unprecedented feat, thanks to the indisputable magistracy of influence of the President of the Republic. Since the creation of ECOWAS in 1975, no Portuguese-speaking country has chaired this organization,” the statement said.

In addition to Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde is also part of ECOWAS.

“President Umaro Sissoco Embaló will now have in his hands the dossiers on the political crisis in the subregion, especially in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea-Conakry, but also security challenges, such as the wave of terrorism. He will also be tasked with completing the implementation of the reforms in all ECOWAS institutions,” the statement added.

António Costa congratulates the leader of Guinea-Bissau for assuming the presidency of ECOWAS

The Prime Minister, António Costa, congratulated this Sunday the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau for assuming the leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

“I warmly congratulate the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, on his election as President of ECOWAS,” said António Costa, in a post on his official social network account. twitter.

I warmly congratulate the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, @USEpackfor his election as President of the #ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States. It is the first time that a leader from a Portuguese-speaking country assumes the presidency of this organization.

– Antonio Costa (@antoniocostapm) July 3, 2022

The Portuguese Prime Minister also stressed that this is “the first time that a leader from a Portuguese-speaking country assumes the presidency of this organization.”