MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
PRESS RELEASE
FRIDAY, 19TH SEPTEMBER 2025
BADARU CHAMPIONS DIALOGUE AND CONSULTATION AS PILLARS OF REGIONAL PEACE AT 12TH BEIJING XIANGSHAN FORUM
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu
Democracy Newsline Newspaper
19th September 2025
The Honourable Minister of Defence, H.E. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, CON, mni, has delivered the keynote lecture at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, where he called for dialogue and consultation as pillars of regional peace.
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Speaking under the session theme, “Upholding International Order and Promoting Peaceful Development,” the Minister stated that building regional peace through dialogue and consultation are the most effective instruments for preventing conflict and sustaining regional security.
Addressing defence and security leaders, policymakers, diplomats, and academics from more than 100 countries, Minister Badaru argued that constructive engagement and inclusive processes are fundamental to lasting peace. He said,
> “Dialogue succeeds where confrontation fails. It is the foundation on which lasting security is built.”
Drawing on Nigeria’s experience, Minister Badaru highlighted the country’s role in regional and domestic peacebuilding, including:
Leadership in ECOWAS interventions in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia;
Contributions to the Multinational Joint Task Force operations against Boko Haram;
Domestic initiatives such as the Amnesty Programme in the Niger Delta and Operation Safe Corridor.
He emphasized that even the most complex crises can be resolved when dialogue is paired with inclusion, legitimacy, and sustained engagement.
Linking his remarks to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Minister reaffirmed that Nigeria’s strategic autonomy and proactive international engagement underpin its contributions to regional and global peace. He noted that domestic reform and multilateral cooperation are mutually reinforcing paths to security, stability, and development.
In conclusion, the Honourable Minister called on global partners to embrace dialogue, consultation, and collaboration as shared responsibilities in upholding international order and advancing peaceful development.
Mati Ali
PA (Media & Publicity) to the Honourable Minister
