Rome, Italy, October 14, 2025 – His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has arrived in Rome, Italy, to attend the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government-Level Summit, a high-level gathering focused on addressing the pressing security challenges confronting West Africa.
Co-hosted by the Government of Italy and His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the summit brings together world leaders, senior officials, military commanders, intelligence chiefs, and counterterrorism experts. Their discussions will centre on tackling terrorism, organized crime, and maritime insecurity spanning the Sahel to the Gulf of Guinea.
President Bio is participating in his dual capacity as President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), underscoring West Africa’s leadership and shared responsibility in promoting regional peace and stability.
On the margins of the summit, President Bio is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Her Excellency Giorgia Meloni, President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic. The meeting is expected to deepen cooperation between Sierra Leone and Italy, particularly in the areas of security, trade, and development.
Moderated by General Sir Adrian Bradshaw, the one-day event will explore the evolving security landscape in West Africa through comprehensive discussions on emerging threats, regional coordination, and strengthened international partnerships.
The summit comes at a critical time as West Africa faces a surge in extremist violence, cross-border trafficking, and irregular migration, heightening the urgency for coordinated regional and global responses.
The Aqaba Process, a strategic counterterrorism initiative established by King Abdullah II, has previously focused on regions such as the Balkans and the Horn of Africa. Its current focus on West Africa reflects growing international concern about the region’s stability and the need for stronger collective action.
President Bio’s participation reaffirms Sierra Leone’s steadfast commitment to multilateral cooperation and ECOWAS’s ongoing efforts to address transnational threats, safeguard peace, and foster sustainable security across West Africa.
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