By George Antwi
The Member of Parliament for Madina and renowned human rights advocate, Francis-Xavier Sosu, has been unanimously elected Chairman of the ECOWAS Caucus of the Africa Parliamentary Union (APU).
His election was confirmed on Thursday, November 20, 2025, during a caucus meeting held as part of the 84th Session of the APU Executive Committee ahead of the 47th Conference of African Parliamentarians in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Sosu takes over from Mali’s Alioune Gueye, who served as Chairman for the past two years. Sosu, who earlier this year held the position of Vice Chairman, now assumes the top leadership role, a development widely viewed as reinforcing Ghana’s rising influence in regional parliamentary affairs.
Ghana’s delegation to the conference was led by the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako (MP for Fomena), and included Bede Ziedeng (Lawra-Nandom), Sammy Awuku (Akuapem North), John Oti Bless (Nkwanta North), and Shirley Kyei (Atwima Nwabiagya South).
Ahead of his election, Sosu addressed the APU Executive Committee, emphasizing the need for deeper continental cooperation to tackle youth unemployment, accelerate the green economic transition, and harmonize national legislation in support of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He also reaffirmed his long-standing advocacy for abolishing the death penalty, criminalizing witchcraft-related accusations—especially those targeting vulnerable elderly women—and fully operationalizing the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
He expressed gratitude for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to lead major reforms within the ECOWAS Caucus over the next two years.
