President Bola Tinubu is expected to return to Abuja today, Saturday, after attending the Aqaba Process summit held recently in Rome, Italy.
Bayo Onanuga, the President’s special adviser on Information and Strategy, revealed that the summit focused on strengthening international and regional collaboration to tackle terrorism and violent extremism, with particular attention to the security challenges confronting West Africa.
Launched in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan, the Aqaba Process serves as a counter-terrorism platform designed to enhance cooperation among participating nations.
This initiative is a joint effort between the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Italian Government.
The distinguished event took place on Wednesday, October 15, at Rome’s National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art. It convened numerous dignitaries, including King Abdullah II of Jordan, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the Presidents of Nigeria, Chad, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Also in attendance were Azouz Nasri, President of Algeria’s Upper House, alongside delegations from Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Senegal, and Uzbekistan, as well as special envoys and security experts.
The discussions were held behind closed doors to maintain confidentiality and foster candid dialogue.
During the summit, President Tinubu held bilateral meetings with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser on Arab and African Affairs to former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Furthermore, President Tinubu engaged with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, to discuss initiatives aimed at fostering religious harmony in Nigeria. Their conversation addressed the spread of inaccurate portrayals that suggest Nigeria lacks religious tolerance.
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Since its establishment, the Aqaba Process has convened 33 meetings at various levels, ranging from Heads of State summits to technical workshops involving experts.
The framework of the initiative is built upon three core pillars: prevention, coordination, and closing operational gaps in counterterrorism efforts.
