Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu arrived in Rome on Sunday evening, landing at Fiumicino International Airport at about 7:20 p.m. He is in the city to attend the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Level Meeting, which will focus on the escalating security crisis in West Africa. The meeting is set to begin on Tuesday and will bring together heads of state and government, senior intelligence and military officials from African nations, and representatives from intergovernmental and non‑governmental organizations.
The Aqaba Process is a counter‑terrorism initiative launched in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan and co‑chaired by Jordan and Italy. Its aim is to strengthen global cooperation against terrorism and violent extremism. The 2025 session will examine the growing threats in West Africa, including the spread of terrorist networks, the crime‑terror nexus, and the overlap between land‑based insurgencies in the Sahel and maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. Participants will exchange assessments of the current security landscape and foster collaboration between regional and international partners to address cross‑border challenges.
During the meeting, strategies will be developed to counter terror threats on both land and sea. Discussions will also focus on coordinating efforts to combat online radicalization and disrupt digital networks that facilitate terrorist propaganda and recruitment. In addition to the plenary sessions, President Tinubu will hold bilateral talks with other leaders to explore ways of addressing the rising security challenges across the subregion.
The Aqaba Process meeting takes place against a backdrop of increasing security concerns in West Africa, where terrorist groups and criminal networks pose significant threats to regional stability. The gathering provides a platform for international cooperation and collaboration to tackle these challenges. By attending, President Tinubu demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to regional security and its willingness to work with international partners to combat terrorism and violent extremism. The outcomes of the meeting are expected to have significant implications for regional security and stability.
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