By Fatima Mukhtar
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja after participating in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government-level Meeting held in Rome, Italy.
The summit, which took place on Wednesday, October 15, at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, brought together world leaders to strengthen regional and international cooperation in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, with a special focus on West Africa.
The Aqaba Process, launched in 2015 by His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, is a global initiative co-chaired by Jordan and Italy. It aims to enhance coordination and close operational gaps in global counterterrorism efforts through prevention, information-sharing, and collaboration.
Among the notable leaders at the Rome meeting were King Abdullah II of Jordan, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the Presidents of Nigeria, Chad, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Algeria’s Upper House President Azouz Nasri also attended, alongside representatives from Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Senegal, and Uzbekistan.
The high-level meeting was held behind closed doors. However, sources confirmed that President Tinubu used the opportunity to engage in several bilateral discussions on the sidelines of the event.
He met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser on Arab and African Affairs to U.S. President Donald Trump, where they discussed strengthening partnerships in security, trade, and development.
President Tinubu also met with the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to discuss promoting religious harmony in Nigeria and addressing misinformation portraying the country as intolerant of religious diversity.
Since its inception, the Aqaba Process has held 33 meetings at various levels, ranging from heads of state summits to technical expert sessions, all aimed at building a united global front against terrorism.
The President returned to Abuja on Friday, October 18, after what aides described as a “productive and strategic engagement” with global partners.
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