Press release

Foreign Secretary attendance at Regional Security Summit in Nigeria

The Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, will restate the UK’s continued support to Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram.

On Saturday 14 May the Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, will attend the second Regional Security Summit in Abuja, Nigeria. The Summit will bring together leaders from across the world to address the international community’s intent to support Nigeria in its fight against Boko Haram.

The UK’s continuing support to Nigeria in tackling Boko Haram with nearly £40m of counter-terrorist and counter-extremism support over the next four years, includes the training of almost 1,000 Nigerian military personnel for deployment to the North East of Nigeria on counter-insurgency operations.

The Foreign Secretary will be meeting with key regional leaders to discuss what more the international community can do in supporting Nigeria with the security challenges it faces.

Arriving at the Summit, the Foreign Secretary said:

President Buhari has shown strong leadership in the global fight against Boko Haram, a brutal organisation that has raped, murdered and kidnapped innocent civilians, forcing over two million people to flee their homes. Their allegiance to, and potential coordination with Daesh is a reminder of the threat they present to the region and to British interests.

Britain and Nigeria, with support from the US, France, and its neighbours, are making progress to degrade Boko Haram, but we must maintain the momentum to win the war, and build the right conditions for stability in the region.

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Published 14 May 2016