King Abdullah II and African leaders join forces against terror in Sahel

On the 10th anniversary of the Aqaba Process, a counterterrorism initiative launched by King Abdullah II of Jordan, Italy hosted for the first time the high-level summit of this strategic forum. 

Held in Rome on October 15, the meeting brought together key global and African leaders to discuss strategies to counter jihadism and instability in the Sahel region.

The event, taking place at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, followed an official dinner at Villa Madama and marks a symbolic turning point in Italy’s ambition to become a leading player in African security and development.

The 2025 edition of the Aqaba Process focuses heavily on West Africa, one of the world’s most fragile and conflict-ridden regions. Four of the ten most affected countries in the Global Terrorism Index—Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria—continue to face violent extremist threats, mass displacement, and weakened governance.

In this context, the summit served as a vital platform to discuss joint strategies for prevention, coordination, and operational readiness. These are the three pillars upon which the Aqaba Process is built.

King Abdullah II—initiator of the Aqaba Process—attended alongside Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose government emphasized the link between this summit and Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa, a strategic framework for sustainable partnerships on the continent.

Leaders from countries deeply impacted by terrorism took part in the discussions. Among them:

• Faure Gnassingbé of Togo, a nation that has faced increasing jihadist spillovers from the Sahel.
• Leaders from Chad, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Paraguay.
• High-level representatives from Burkina Faso, Niger, Mauritania, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal, regions central to the West African counterterrorism landscape.
• Azouz Nasri, President of Algeria’s Upper House, also participated.

Security experts and special envoys contributed to the closed-door discussions on aligning military, developmental, and diplomatic tools to address root causes of terrorism.

Italy’s Strategic Shift

For Rome, the summit is more than symbolic. It reflects a calculated move to assert Italy’s leadership role in Africa, blending its Mediterranean security strategy with long-term investments in governance and economic cooperation.

The event also highlighted the strong bilateral cooperation between Italy and Jordan. The ongoing dialogue between Prime Minister Meloni and King Abdullah II signals a mutual commitment to stability, peacebuilding, and de-radicalisation efforts.

The 10th Aqaba Process summit in Rome confirms that the fight against terrorism—especially in West Africa—requires global partnerships and political resolve. 

With nations like Togo, Burkina Faso, and Niger at the forefront of this battle, forums like this offer a rare and critical opportunity for dialogue, coordination, and action.