President Bola Tinubu is expected to return to Abuja this Saturday following his participation in the Aqaba Process Heads
of State and Government-level Meeting held in Rome, Italy.The Aqaba Process, launched in 2015 by His Majesty King
Abdullah II of Jordan, is a global counter-terrorism initiative designed to strengthen international collaboration in combating
terrorism and violent extremism. The process is jointly chaired by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Government of
Italy. According to a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga,
the Rome edition of the meeting focused on boosting cooperation between nations, particularly in West Africa, to counter the
growing threats of terrorism and violent extremism.The high-level session took place on Wednesday, October 15, at the
National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome. The summit attracted a number of world leaders,
including King Abdullah II of Jordan, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the Presidents of Nigeria, Chad, Paraguay,
Sierra Leone, and Togo.Also in attendance were Azouz Nasri, the President of Algeria’s Upper House, and delegations
from Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Senegal, and Uzbekistan. The meeting featured participation from special envoys,
counterterrorism experts, and representatives of international organizations. The discussions were held
behind closed doors to ensure confidentiality in addressing sensitive security matters. On the sidelines of the
event, President Tinubu engaged in several bilateral meetings aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s diplomatic and strategic
partnerships. He met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Massad Boulos, the Senior Adviser on Arab and
African Affairs to former US President Donald Trump. In addition, President Tinubu had an audience with Cardinal
Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, where they discussed ways to promote religious harmony in Nigeria.
The conversation focused on addressing misinformation that paints Nigeria as a nation intolerant of religious diversity.
Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to upholding freedom of worship and peaceful coexistence among
all faiths. Since its creation in 2015, the Aqaba Process has organized 33 meetings across various levels from Heads of State
summits to technical expert gatherings. The initiative operates under three core pillars: prevention, coordination, and
closing operational gaps in counterterrorism strategies. President Tinubu’s participation in the Rome meeting
underscores Nigeria’s active role in global security cooperation and its commitment
to tackling terrorism and violent extremism, both within the country and across the African continent.
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