National Security Coordinator, Abdulai CaulkerThe Office of National Security (ONS), in collaboration with the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) and the Sierra Leone Police, has improved security in and around Freetown ahead of the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State.
The summit will be held on July 19, 2026, by His Excellency Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, at the newly built Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre, Lungi. Ministers, officials, delegates and guests from the West African region will converge in Sierra Leone for the build-up to the main event at the mid-year ECOWAS statutory meetings.
These preparatory meetings consist of the 39th meeting of the Administration and Finance Committee, 12-14 July 2026, at Bintumani New Hall, and the 56th ordinary session of the Mediation and Security Council at ministerial level, 15 July, also at Bintumani New Hall.
The Joint MSC/Council Meeting on the Compact of the Future will be held on the same day in the Bintumani New Hall. The 96th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers will be held on 16 and 17 July 2026 at the same venue. President Bio will inaugurate the Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre and the ECOWAS Logistics Depot on 18 July, 2026.
These facilities are expected to bolster Sierra Leone’s capacity to host high-profile regional events and enhance ECOWAS’ logistical and institutional capacities. Officials say the increased security is already in place to ensure the safety of visiting dignitaries and the smooth running of meetings.
Meetings underscore President Bio’s active involvement in regional affairs and his publicly stated commitment to promoting regional integration, peace and security and shared development in West Africa. Sierra Leone’s hosting of the mid-year statutory meetings and the ECOWAS Authority summit is a significant diplomatic milestone in the nation’s interaction with its West African neighbours.****
