On October 12, 2026, H.E. Yu Dunhai, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria and Representative to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), met with H.E. General Birame Diop, new President of the ECOWAS Commission.

Ambassador Yu congratulated President Diop on assuming his new post and noted that this year marks a milestone in the history of China-ECOWAS relations, highlighted by the handover and commissioning of the China-aided ECOWAS Headquarters. Ambassador Yu expressed China’s readiness to take the implementation of the “Ten Partnership Actions” proposed by President Xi Jinping and the four global initiatives as a guide, firmly support ECOWAS in playing its leading role in maintaining regional peace and promoting economic development, deepen practical cooperation in areas such as trade, economy, and infrastructure, fully leverage the dividends of zero-tariff treatment policy, and jointly advance West African modernization to build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.

President Diop expressed appreciation to China for constructing the new Headquarters and implementing major Africa-benefiting measures including zero-tariff treatment. He spoke highly of China’s firm support for ECOWAS integration as well as regional peace and development, and stated that ECOWAS stands ready to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with China to elevate bilateral relations to a new level.