President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja after participating in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government-level Meeting held in Rome, Italy.
The Aqaba Process, launched in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan, is a global counter-terrorism initiative co-chaired by Jordan and Italy. The Rome edition focused on enhancing regional and international cooperation in combating terrorism and violent extremism, with special attention to West Africa.
The high-level meeting took place on Wednesday, October 15, at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome, and was attended by King Abdullah II, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the Presidents of Nigeria, Chad, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Other participants included Algeria’s Upper House President Azouz Nasri, delegations from Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Senegal, and Uzbekistan, as well as special envoys and security experts.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, noted that President Tinubu also held bilateral meetings on the sidelines with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and U.S. President Donald Trump’s Senior Adviser on Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos.
The Nigerian leader further met with the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to discuss promoting religious harmony and addressing misinformation that portrays Nigeria as intolerant of religious diversity.
Since its inception, the Aqaba Process has convened 33 meetings at various levels, from technical expert sessions to leaders’ summits, focusing on prevention, coordination, and closing operational gaps in counterterrorism efforts.
What You Should Know
The Aqaba Process is a strategic global platform initiated by Jordan to strengthen counterterrorism collaboration among nations.
President Tinubu’s participation underscores Nigeria’s commitment to regional security and interfaith dialogue in combating extremism.
