President Engages Global Leaders, Vatican on Terrorism, Religious Harmony
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja after a strategic visit to Rome, Italy, where he participated in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Meeting — a top-tier global forum dedicated to strengthening international cooperation in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
The development was confirmed in a statement released on Saturday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The Aqaba Process, launched in 2015 by His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, is co-chaired by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Government of Italy. It has since evolved into one of the most influential platforms for counter-terrorism coordination and intelligence sharing.
This year’s session, held on Wednesday, October 15, at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rome, focused on building resilience, improving coordination, and bridging operational gaps in global counter-terrorism initiatives, particularly across West Africa — a region plagued by insurgency, banditry, and cross-border threats.
The closed-door summit brought together several world leaders and dignitaries, including King Abdullah II of Jordan, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the Presidents of Nigeria, Chad, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Also present were Azouz Nasri, President of Algeria’s Upper House, delegations from Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Senegal, Uzbekistan, special envoys, and international security experts.
On the sidelines of the summit, President Tinubu held crucial bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, where discussions centered on energy partnerships, migration management, and strategic investment.
He also conferred with Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser on Arab and African Affairs to former U.S. President Donald Trump, on ways to deepen economic and security collaboration between Nigeria and the United States.
In a symbolic and spiritual engagement, President Tinubu met with the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to discuss interfaith dialogue and religious harmony in Nigeria. The meeting addressed the growing wave of misinformation portraying the country as divided along religious lines and emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to tolerance, unity, and peaceful coexistence.
Since its inception, the Aqaba Process has convened 33 meetings at various levels — from Heads of State summits to specialized technical sessions — anchored on three strategic pillars: prevention, coordination, and closing operational gaps in counter-terrorism architecture.
President Tinubu’s return marks another chapter in Nigeria’s repositioning on the global stage as a key partner in the international fight against terrorism and extremism.
PIONEER NEWS 