President Bola Tinubu will return to Abuja on Saturday after attending the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government-level Meeting in Rome, Italy.
The Aqaba Process, launched in 2015 by His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, aims to enhance global cooperation against terrorism. The Government of Italy and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan co-chair the initiative. The Rome edition focused on improving collaboration against terrorism and violent extremism, especially in West Africa.
The National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome hosted the high-level gathering on Wednesday, October 15. Dignitaries included King Abdullah II of Jordan, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the presidents of Nigeria, Chad, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Delegations from Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Senegal, Uzbekistan, and Algeria’s Upper House President Azouz Nasri also attended the closed-door session.
According to Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), President Tinubu held bilateral meetings with Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser on Arab and African Affairs for former U.S. President Donald Trump, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the event.
President Tinubu also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, to discuss religious unity in Nigeria. The talks focused on countering misinformation that portrays Nigeria as intolerant of religious diversity.
Since 2015, the Aqaba Process has organized 33 meetings worldwide, from head-of-state summits to technical expert sessions. Its key pillars include prevention, coordination, and bridging operational gaps in counterterrorism efforts.
