ECOWAS Parliament honours Secretary-General, Somé ahead of retirement
The ECOWAS Parliament on Wednesday paid glowing tributes to its outgoing Secretary-General, Mr. K. Bertin Somé, as he prepares to retire from active service on December 31, 2025, after nearly four decades of distinguished public service.
The farewell ceremony, held on December 10, 2025, at the Parliament’s headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, brought together Members of the ECOWAS Parliament, senior officials and staff of the Community legislature, all united in celebrating a career widely described as exemplary, selfless and impactful.
Speakers at the event, led by the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Barau Jibrin, praised Mr. Somé as a consummate professional, a dedicated servant of the ECOWAS Community and a man known for his warmth, humility and tireless work ethic.
He was repeatedly described as a cheerful and dependable administrator whose institutional memory and leadership helped to strengthen the Parliament’s operations over the years.
Hon. Jibrin said Mr. Somé’s commitment to duty, professionalism and loyalty to the ideals of regional integration left an indelible mark on the ECOWAS Parliament, noting that his contributions would continue to guide the institution long after his retirement.
Visibly moved, Mr. Somé expressed deep gratitude to Members of Parliament and the administrative staff for the support, cooperation and trust he enjoyed throughout his years at the Community Parliament.
He described his time at the ECOWAS Parliament as a defining chapter of his professional life and thanked colleagues for what he called a family-like atmosphere that sustained him through the demands of public service.
Mr. Somé joined the ECOWAS Parliament in October 2009 as a committee clerk. Through years of dedicated service, he rose to become Director of Parliamentary Affairs and Research in April 2016, before his appointment as Acting Secretary-General in November 2023.
Prior to his engagement with the ECOWAS Parliament, he built a notable career at the National Assembly of Burkina Faso, where he held several key positions, including Director-General of Legislative Services, Director of Reports, and Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the National Assembly.
In total, Mr. Somé has spent 37 years in public service, including 16 years at the ECOWAS Parliament. A trained jurist, he is now set to begin a new chapter of life in his native Burkina Faso, where he plans to devote more time to his agricultural farm.
The ceremony closed with expressions of appreciation and goodwill, as colleagues wished him a fulfilling and peaceful retirement, while acknowledging his enduring legacy within the ECOWAS Parliament and the wider West African sub-region.
