Gbeho is new ECOWAS President

Abuja, Feb. 16, GNA - West African leaders in Abuja, Nigeria, on Tuesday approved a proposal by Ghana for Mr James Victor Gbeho, former foreign minister to be the President of the ECOWAS Commission until the end of this year.

Foreign ministry sources close to the 37th Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) taking place in the Nigerian capital said Mr Gbeho would run the final year term of Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, President of the ECOWAS, who has been elected Head the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States.


Dr Chambas will take up the new job on March 1. Mr Gbeho, a prominent diplomat, was born on January 12, 1935 at Keta in the Volta Region.

He was the foreign minister during the last term of for President Jerry Rawlings from 1997 until 2001. He was also the Member of Parliament for the Anlo Constituency between January 2001 and January 2005. Mr Gbeho is at present a foreign policy advisor to the government of President John Evans Atta Mills.


Prior to these positions, he had been Ghana's permanent representative at the United Nations for many years. In July 1994 the UN Secretary-General appointed him a special representative to Somalia. In September 1995 President Rawlings, as chairman of ECOWAS, appointed Ghebo ECOWAS special representative for Liberia. 16 Feb. 10