On Sunday, October 12, President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to leave Abuja for Rome, Italy, to take part in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Level Meeting. This summit will primarily address the escalating security issues affecting West Africa.
Commencing on October 14, the conference will convene African Heads of State and Government, alongside top intelligence and military personnel, as well as delegates from various intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. The focus will be on the dynamic and growing security threats within the West African region.
As outlined by Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga in a statement released Saturday evening, the Aqaba Process is a counter-terrorism platform initiated by King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2015. This initiative is jointly led by Jordan and the Italian Government.
The forum acknowledges the multifaceted security dilemmas facing West Africa, such as the proliferation of terrorist groups, the intertwining of criminal and terror activities, and the convergence of land-based insurgencies in the Sahel with maritime piracy incidents in the Gulf of Guinea.
The statement further explained: “During the meeting, attendees will share insights on the current security environment in West Africa and work towards enhancing cooperation between regional and global stakeholders to tackle transnational security threats. Strategies will be formulated to combat terrorism both on land and at sea.”
“Discussions will also focus on coordinated measures to counteract online radicalization and dismantle digital platforms that promote terrorist recruitment and propaganda.”
“Beyond participating in the plenary sessions, President Tinubu is set to engage in bilateral discussions with fellow leaders to identify collaborative solutions to the mounting security challenges in the subregion.”
“Accompanying the President will be key officials including the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed; along with other senior government representatives.”
