United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has highlighted a series of diplomatic and security achievements by the United States over the past 17 months, including strengthened counterterrorism cooperation with Nigeria.
Speaking before the House Foreign Affairs Committee during a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2027 Department of State budget request, Rubio described the period as one marked by tremendous successes alongside persistent global challenges.
Security Collaboration with Nigeria
Among the achievements he cited was enhanced security collaboration with Nigeria. Rubio said the United States is actively working with Nigerian authorities on counterterrorism operations and recently supported a joint operation that eliminated the second-highest-ranking leader of the global Islamic State group operating within the country.
According to him, concerns over violence against Christians in Nigeria have prompted closer engagement between the two countries, with security cooperation continuing to expand.
Global Diplomatic Efforts
Rubio also pointed to the United States' involvement in defusing tensions between India and Pakistan, which he said had been on the verge of an all-out war. He noted that the State Department played a direct role in de-escalating the crisis between the two nuclear-armed nations.
The Secretary of State further highlighted America's efforts in ending conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia, as well as between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He said Washington recently signed a memorandum of understanding supporting a new trade and prosperity corridor known as the TRIPP route, expected to boost economic opportunities in the South Caucasus region.
Regional Security Partnerships
On global security partnerships, Rubio said more than 14 countries in the Western Hemisphere had joined the United States-led Shield of the Americas initiative to strengthen cooperation on counterterrorism, counternarcotics, and regional security.
