The Authority of Heads of States and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have unanimously endorsed the candidature of President John Dramani Mahama as Chairman of the African Union (AU).
This comes after its Foreign Affairs Ministers earlier threw their support behind him in Abuja, the Nigerian capital where he was chosen as the official nominee for the African Union Chairmanship role for 2027.
The ministers agreed to present President Mahama as the bloc’s sole candidate for the role when the rotating chairmanship returns to West Africa in 2027.
The chairmanship rotates annually among Africa’s five regions with President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço of Angola representing the Southern African region as the current AU Chair. He assumed the role in February 2025 and will serve a one year term.
The Council in its meeting considered President Mahama and Ghana as an important ECOWAS Member State contributing to its international standing.
It also considered to maintain and increase the chances of ECOWAS occupying positions in regional and international organisations.
The final decision by the ECOWAS Council was forwarded to the Authority of Heads of State and Government which adopted the declaration on Sunday, December 14, 2025.
