Edward David Singhatey was appointed in March 2016 as vice-president of the ECOWAS Commission. He started his professional career as an electronic technician at the Gambian Civil Aviation Authority. He then joined the Gambian Armed Forces and rose to the rank of Captain. Singhatey is a highly decorated military officer having received a large number of service medals and military distinctions for exemplary and outstanding conduct in the performance of his duties. His political career took off in 1994, when he was appointed minister of defence. He then served the Gambian government until 2007 in a large number of different capacities: vice-president and minister of defence, minister for presidential affairs also responsible for natural resources and national assembly affairs, minister for fisheries and water resources, minister for works, communication and information, minister for works and infrastructure, minister for trade, industry and employment also responsible for regional integration, as well as minister for forestry and the environment. As founding member of the ruling AFPRC party, he served as the party’s secretary-general from 1997 to 2007. Singhatey represented The Gambia as a member of the Council of ministers, member of the Board of governors of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), a chairman of the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission and president of the General Assembly of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Following his long political career, Singhatey joined the judiciary as a magistrate in 2011. He is a lawyer by profession and holds a Bachelor of Law Degree.