Latest news with #Bio
Business Insider
a day ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu ends tenure as ECOWAS chairman
President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has officially taken over the rotating chairmanship of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), succeeding Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. President Julius Maada Bio has assumed the rotating chairmanship of ECOWAS, succeeding Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The transition of leadership was officiated at the ECOWAS Summit held in Abuja, Nigeria. President Bio outlined priorities including constitutional restoration, regional security enhancement, economic integration, and institutional credibility. Bio replaces Nigeria's president, Tinubu, whose two-term tenure was marked by significant regional turbulence and efforts to preserve democratic governance within the bloc. The leadership transition was confirmed at the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government Summit held in Abuja, Nigeria, where leaders gathered to review security, political, and economic developments in the region. President Tinubu, who assumed the chairmanship in July 2023 and was renewed for a second term in 2024, formally handed over the mantle of leadership to President Bio at the close of the summit. In his handover speech, Tinubu thanked the leaders for the confidence reposed in him twice as the chairman of the Authority. He said, 'As we look forward to the future of West Africa, I remain positive that with the continued cooperation of all its members, ECOWAS will scale over greater heights in our collective pursuit of peace, security, stability and prosperity for our people and for our region." President Bio, in his inaugural speech, promised to prioritize four key areas, namely: restoring constitutional order and deepening democracy, revitalizing regional security cooperation, unlocking economic integration, and building institutional credibility. Regional conflict taints Tinubu's ECOWAS tenure President Tinubu's tenure as ECOWAS chairman was marked by unprecedented challenges. During his leadership, the bloc faced widespread political instability, a wave of attempted coups, and growing public discontent across several West African nations. Most notably, three member states—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—withdrew from ECOWAS and formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), openly defying the bloc's authority. Tinubu was particularly vocal about the need to restore civilian rule in the region, and his leadership was instrumental in formulating sanctions and mediation strategies aimed at reversing unconstitutional transitions of power. Despite repeated diplomatic overtures, ECOWAS under Tinubu struggled to enforce its authority. Tinubu's hardline stance faced resistance, and the complete exit of the AES countries in January 2025 dealt a major blow to ECOWAS cohesion, undermining efforts to preserve the bloc's leadership in regional security and integration.
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Sierra Leone's President Bio to be the next ECOWAS chairman with region in turmoil
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio was chosen on Sunday to be the next chairman of the West African economic bloc, ECOWAS. The Economic Community of West African States, known as ECOWAS, was founded in 1975, and is facing challenges due to rising violence, member departures and economic disturbances. In a statement following Sunday's announcement, Bio promised to prioritize democracy, security cooperation, economic integration and institutional credibility. 'We are still confronting insecurity in the Sahel and coastal states, terrorism, political instability, illicit arms flow and transnational organized crimes continue to test the resilience of our nations and the effectiveness of our institutions,' he said. Bio is currently serving his second term as president after a contested election two years ago in the coastal West African country. He was president when ECOWAS imposed severe sanctions on Niger following a coup two years ago. Niger cited the sanctions as one of the reasons for leaving the bloc. Sierra Leone was one of the countries that supported a military intervention in the country in 2023. At home, Bio is facing an ongoing synthetic drug crisis and a stagnating economy. Bio's new position comes as the region faces its most severe crisis in decades with jihadist forces controlling vast swaths of the Sahel, a semi-arid region south of the Sahara. In the past few years, ECOWAS has struggled with the departure of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger which have all faced military coups. All three juntas left the bloc, and created their own security partnership, the Alliance of Sahel States. They have cut ties with the traditional Western allies, ousting French and American military forces, and instead sought new security ties with Russia. The three countries have been the hardest hit by jihadist violence in recent years.
a day ago
- Business
Sierra Leone's President Bio to be the next ECOWAS chairman with region in turmoil
ABUJA, Nigeria -- Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio was chosen on Sunday to be the next chairman of the West African economic bloc, ECOWAS. The Economic Community of West African States, known as ECOWAS, was founded in 1975, and is facing challenges due to rising violence, member departures and economic disturbances. In a statement following Sunday's announcement, Bio promised to prioritize democracy, security cooperation, economic integration and institutional credibility. 'We are still confronting insecurity in the Sahel and coastal states, terrorism, political instability, illicit arms flow and transnational organized crimes continue to test the resilience of our nations and the effectiveness of our institutions,' he said. Bio is currently serving his second term as president after a contested election two years ago in the coastal West African country. He was president when ECOWAS imposed severe sanctions on Niger following a coup two years ago. Niger cited the sanctions as one of the reasons for leaving the bloc. Sierra Leone was one of the countries that supported a military intervention in the country in 2023. At home, Bio is facing an ongoing synthetic drug crisis and a stagnating economy. Bio's new position comes as the region faces its most severe crisis in decades with jihadist forces controlling vast swaths of the Sahel, a semi-arid region south of the Sahara. In the past few years, ECOWAS has struggled with the departure of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger which have all faced military coups. All three juntas left the bloc, and created their own security partnership, the Alliance of Sahel States. They have cut ties with the traditional Western allies, ousting French and American military forces, and instead sought new security ties with Russia. The three countries have been the hardest hit by jihadist violence in recent years.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sierra Leone's President Bio to be the next ECOWAS chairman with region in turmoil
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio was chosen on Sunday to be the next chairman of the West African economic bloc, ECOWAS. The Economic Community of West African States, known as ECOWAS, was founded in 1975, and is facing challenges due to rising violence, member departures and economic disturbances. In a statement following Sunday's announcement, Bio promised to prioritize democracy, security cooperation, economic integration and institutional credibility. 'We are still confronting insecurity in the Sahel and coastal states, terrorism, political instability, illicit arms flow and transnational organized crimes continue to test the resilience of our nations and the effectiveness of our institutions,' he said. Bio is currently serving his second term as president after a contested election two years ago in the coastal West African country. He was president when ECOWAS imposed severe sanctions on Niger following a coup two years ago. Niger cited the sanctions as one of the reasons for leaving the bloc. Sierra Leone was one of the countries that supported a military intervention in the country in 2023. At home, Bio is facing an ongoing synthetic drug crisis and a stagnating economy. Bio's new position comes as the region faces its most severe crisis in decades with jihadist forces controlling vast swaths of the Sahel, a semi-arid region south of the Sahara. In the past few years, ECOWAS has struggled with the departure of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger which have all faced military coups. All three juntas left the bloc, and created their own security partnership, the Alliance of Sahel States. They have cut ties with the traditional Western allies, ousting French and American military forces, and instead sought new security ties with Russia. The three countries have been the hardest hit by jihadist violence in recent years.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Prosecutors seek record $250 million from fugitive drug lord
Dutch prosecutors said Monday they were seeking to confiscate a record $253 million from one of Europe's most notorious drug lords, thought to be hiding in Sierra Leone. The illegal assets amassed by Jos Leijdekkers, also known as "Bolle Jos" or "Chubby Jos," were proceeds from cocaine trafficking, as well as purchases of gold and luxury items, the public prosecutors said. Leijdekkers is thought to have made 114 million euros from 14 cocaine shipments over less than a year. According to intercepted communications, the 33-year-old also spent 47 million euros on 975 kilograms of gold over less than six months. The kingpin additionally bought real estate including a hotel in Turkey and apartments in Dubai, the prosecutors alleged. Luxury goods including two Bentley cars, designer bags, jewellery and watches, were also added to the total of illicit assets, bringing the total to $253 million. "This is... only a first step towards tracing Leijdekkers' assets," the prosecutors said. A Rotterdam court last June sentenced Leijdekkers in absentia to 24 years in prison for ordering a murder and organizing cocaine shipments. He is on Europol's most-wanted list, with the European police body offering over $225,000 for information leading to his arrest. "Leijdekkers is considered to be one of the key players in international cocaine trafficking," according to Europol. In January, Dutch authorities said they were "absolutely certain" he was hiding out in Sierra Leone. The BBC reported that Dutch prosecutor Wim de Bruin said the fugitive's return to the Netherlands was of "the highest priority." Images apparently showing Leijdekkers in the company of officials as high as President Julius Maada Bio have sparked speculation the cocaine lord has cozied up to Sierra Leone's political class -- including the president's daughter. Suspicions he was in Sierra Leone arose after the country's First Lady Fatima Bio posted pictures and a video on social media that showed a man strongly resembling Leijdekkers at a religious service, also attended by President Bio. Exiled Sierra Leone opposition figure Mohamed Mansaray has accused Bio and his government of "offering refuge" to the drug lord. According to Mansaray, Leijdekkers has coupled up with the president's daughter Agnes Bio, who is seen accompanying the drug lord in the images. Leijdekkers is also believed to be involved in the disappearance and death of Naima Jillal, a woman who went missing in 2019 after she got into a car in Amsterdam, according to Europol. Intercepted messages allegedly showed that Leijdekkers "played an important role in Jillal's disappearance," the agency said. "For a long time, there was no trace of Naima Jillal, until photos of a woman believed to be her were found on a phone seized in the Marengo investigation," Europol said. "The photos show that she was most likely tortured and is probably no longer alive." January 6 defendant refuses Trump's pardon The wonderfully weird world of artist Luigi Serafini Everything we know about the Boulder attack on Israeli hostage march
