The European Union Delegation to Nigeria, in collaboration with the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) under the Office of the National Security Adviser, organised the Abuja “Road to Schuman Forum on Security and Defence” on May 15, 2024, at the National Counter-Terrorism Centre in Abuja, Nigeria. The forum which was under the theme “Reducing vulnerabilities through partnerships”, functioned as a preparatory event for the main Schuman Forum on Security and Defence, scheduled for 28 and 29 May in Brussels.

The event brought together representatives from national and regional agencies, civil society organisations, academia, and international development partners. Participants engaged in knowledge sharing, networking, and collaboration on pressing security issues in West Africa, with a focus on Nigeria’s and the region’s perspectives for partnership with the European Union.

The Abuja “Road to Schuman Forum” was a preliminary conversation aimed at reducing vulnerabilities through partnerships. It brought together representatives from national and regional agencies, civil society organisations, universities and international development partners. The agenda of the event focused on preparing discussions for the next Schuman Forum and creating a platform to deliberate on pressing security issues, with a particular focus on the prospects for Nigeria and West Africa.

Two speeches were delivered at the opening ceremony. Charlie Stuart, the European Union’s representative, said: “The European Union is still examining the right approach to good cooperation between Africa and the EU, and each country’s context is different. Together, we need to rethink what security means. In addition to the usual military and police security actions, we need to focus more on economic development solutions in the region”.

Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), pointed out that ECOWAS has put in place mechanisms such as the Accra Initiative, which aims to prevent the spread of terrorism from the Sahel to the coastal countries of West Africa.

During the event, representatives of the ECOWAS Commission, the Office of the National Security Adviser and EU Member States, Germany, discussed current security challenges in the Sahel region, the spread of threats to coastal states and the need to redefine the security architecture.

The Abuja “Road to Schuman Forum” also highlighted the EU’s role as a global organiser and strategic partner, underlining the importance of international partnerships in the fight against transnational threats such as terrorism and organised crime.

The discussions at the Abuja “Road to Schuman Forum” are expected to feed into the main Schuman Forum in Brussels and contribute to strengthened partnerships between the EU and West Africa in tackling regional security challenges.