LONDON, 29th April, 2026 (WAM) — The Nigerian Peace Summit concluded today at the British House of Lords in London.
The high-level international initiative spanned three days to discuss pathways for enhancing civil peace in Nigeria as part of international efforts to promote stability across the African continent.
The Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace organised the summit in strategic partnership with the US Department of State and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. The opening session was presided over by Shaykh Abdullah Bin Bayyah, Chairman of the UAE Council for Fatwa, and President of the Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace. Representing the US side was Riley M. Barnes, the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) while the British side was represented by Baroness Chapman, Minister of State (International Development and Africa).
The summit was attended by prominent figures including Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the Emir of Argungu Samaila Muhammad Mera, Lord Russell Rook, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, and the Grand Mufti of Nigeria Shaykh Sharif Ibrahim Saleh Al-Hussaini, who addressed the summit via video link. The Nigerian delegation included a select group of Muslim and Christian religious leaders, government officials, academics, and civil society figures.
Bin Bayyah emphasised that the event aligns with the UAE’s advanced role in supporting peace processes and its deep ties with Africa, particularly Nigeria. He described the initiative as an embodiment of the UAE’s active presence in supporting stability through an approach that combines value-based diplomacy with international cooperation.
In his opening speech, Bin Bayyah explained that shifting global conflict environments necessitate an integrated model that combines moral legitimacy with political effectiveness. He announced the launch of a qualitative trilateral framework involving the United States, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates that aims to engineer sustainable peace through institutional initiatives based on complementary roles, national sovereignty, and linking diplomatic efforts to moral foundations.
Bin Bayyah provided an analytical reading of the multi-dimensional Nigerian crisis, highlighting the interplay between resource competition, climate change, organised crime, and extremism. He proposed a five-pillar roadmap encompassing the rationalisation of public discourse, trust-building, supporting local initiatives, addressing violence through a security-and-justice approach, and integrating national and international efforts.
Riley Barnes praised the Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace for building bridges of dialogue, noting that the United States views this partnership as a model combining religious depth with diplomatic efficacy. Baroness Chapman expressed the United Kingdom’s pride in joining the initiative, stating that the Forum’s approach fills a genuine gap in peace-building efforts and underscores that Nigeria’s stability is a cornerstone of West African security.
Justin Welby, having recently coordinated meetings in Nigeria with political and religious leaders, stressed that peace is a moral responsibility requiring the courage to recognise the other.
The London summit represents the second stop in a multi-stage consultative process following a meeting in Washington last February. Future sessions are expected in Abu Dhabi, Rabat, and Abuja, in coordination with the Nigerian government, to finalise an integrated international approach to supporting peace in Nigeria and the African continent.
Source: Emirates News Agency