Tinubu arrives in Rome for Aqaba Process meeting on West African security

President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Rome, Italy, to participate in the Aqaba Process heads of state and government meeting, a global counter-terrorism initiative launched in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan.

Co-chaired by the governments of Jordan and Italy, the Aqaba Process focuses on tackling emerging security crises in West Africa.

According to a statement released by the Presidency, the meeting, which begins on October 14, will bring together heads of state, senior military and intelligence officials from across Africa, as well as representatives of international and non-governmental organisations, to discuss the region’s evolving security threats.

The statement noted that discussions would centre on the growing expansion of terrorist networks, the link between organised crime and terrorism, and the increasing overlap between land-based terrorism in the Sahel and maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

Participants are expected to share intelligence assessments, strengthen regional and international cooperation, and develop joint strategies to counter both land and maritime terror threats.

The agenda also includes discussions on curbing online radicalisation and disrupting digital platforms used for terrorist propaganda and recruitment.

President Tinubu will also hold bilateral meetings with other world leaders on the sidelines of the event to explore collaborative solutions to the security challenges facing West Africa.

Accompanying the President are Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bianca Ojukwu, Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency Mohammed Mohammed, and other top government officials.