Her appointment follows the principle of rotating leadership within the 120-member parliament, which represents all countries in the West African region. Ms. Ibrahima previously served as the third vice-president and succeeds Sidie Mohammed Tunis of Sierra Leone.
In her acceptance speech, Ms. Ibrahima pledged to serve the entire ECOWAS community with impartiality. Her focus areas include fostering collaboration between member states’ parliaments and strengthening regional peace and security.
Ms. Ibrahima recently secured re-election to the Togolese parliament, allowing her to serve in both national and regional capacities. Four other Togolese representatives also hold seats in the ECOWAS Parliament.
Established in 1993, the ECOWAS Parliament provides a platform for regional dialogue and oversight. Seats are distributed among member states, with a minimum of five seats guaranteed to each country. The remaining seats are allocated proportionally based on population. The parliament can review issues of regional importance, including human rights, and make recommendations to other ECOWAS institutions.
This historic appointment marks a significant step towards increased gender representation within the ECOWAS leadership.
AC/fss/abj/APA