Brussels, 24 October 2025
Member of the European Parliament and member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) Željana Zovko will go to Nigeria and Ghana for an AFET mission from 26 to 30 October 2025.
Members of the AFET mission will meet with government officials and parliamentarians in Nigeria and Ghana, as well as members of institutions of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The ECOWAS is a regional political and economic organization founded in 1975 and aiming at strengthening regional cooperation in West Africa in the areas of economic integration but also security. ECOWAS has notably been recognised for its role in regional security during civil conflicts in the region. The EU has provided support to ECOWAS through financial assistance and technical cooperation, including on conflict prevention, counterterrorism and the conduct of electoral processes.
During the mission, the discussions between Members of the European Parliament and Nigerian and Ghanaian stakeholders will focus on the EU cooperation with the two countries as well as with ECOWAS, in areas ranging from security to trade as well as the EU Global Gateway initiative. The discussions will also address the challenges faced by Nigeria and Ghana due to the instability in the Sahel.
Members of the European Parliament delegation will discuss with the Nigerian authorities the need to address violent acts perpetrated by islamist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), as well as the emergence of new terrorist groups.
Members of the European Parliament will also emphasize the central role of parliamentary diplomacy.
This mission will be an opportunity for Zovko to highlight the urgent need to protect religious communities in Nigeria, especially Christians, that are increasingly targeted and persecuted.
Let us remind that, as co-chair of the European Parliament working group on interreligious dialogue, Zovko has always advocated for the protection of Christians facing persecution around the world. Over the last years, she has negotiated European Parliament resolutions condemning attacks against Christians in Nigeria as well as blasphemy laws.