?The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, PhD, received a high-level delegation from the Community of Sant’Egidio at the Tafawa Balewa House in Abuja.

Led by Professor Jan De Volder and Professor Stefano Orlando, and accompanied by officials from the Italian Embassy, the visit focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in key areas such as peacebuilding, mediation, interfaith dialogue, humanitarian aid, and youth development.

This meeting builds upon previous high-level discussions held with the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

?During the briefing, Professor De Volder highlighted the faith-based organization's active grassroots presence across several Nigerian states, where they run initiatives focused on education, poverty reduction, and community dialogue.

In addition to proposing a formal cooperative framework between Nigeria and the Community of Sant’Egidio, the delegation extended an official invitation to the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs to participate in the landmark 40th International Meeting for Peace, scheduled for October 2026 in Assisi, Italy.

?Ambassador Ahmed commended the Community of Sant’Egidio for its global and local dedication to reconciliation and humanitarian service.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to partner with faith-based and civil society organizations that actively foster peaceful coexistence, social inclusion, and conflict prevention.

The Permanent Secretary identified potential joint programs in youth leadership, vocational training, healthcare, education, and support for displaced and vulnerable populations, with both parties agreeing to finalize a structured framework to guide their future collaborative efforts.