President Bola Tinubu is back in Abuja following his participation in the Aqaba Process Summit, a high-level counterterrorism meeting held in Rome, Italy.
The summit, which brought together global leaders, focused on strengthening regional and international collaboration to combat terrorism and violent extremism, with particular attention to developments in West Africa.
According to a statement released by the Presidency, Tinubu’s participation reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to global and regional security alliances. The Aqaba Process, launched in 2015 by Jordan’s King Abdullah II, serves as a multilateral platform for improving coordination and closing operational gaps in global counterterrorism strategies.
The Rome session, co-hosted by the governments of Jordan and Italy, took place at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art and featured leaders from countries including Nigeria, Chad, Togo, Paraguay, and Sierra Leone. Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and King Abdullah II of Jordan co-chaired the discussions, which were held behind closed doors due to their sensitive nature.
While in Rome, President Tinubu also held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit. He met with Prime Minister Meloni to discuss economic and security cooperation between Nigeria and Italy, and later with Massad Boulos, a senior adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump, on regional security issues.
Tinubu further engaged with the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, where both parties discussed efforts to promote interfaith harmony and tackle misinformation portraying Nigeria as intolerant of religious diversity.
Since its inception, the Aqaba Process has held more than 30 sessions worldwide, fostering joint action among nations against terrorism through prevention, coordination, and operational support.
The Presidency emphasized that Tinubu’s involvement in the Rome meeting aligns with his administration’s broader diplomatic agenda, which prioritizes international cooperation and the strengthening of Nigeria’s counterterrorism and peacekeeping efforts.
