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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke, has called on African nations to strengthen military cooperation, intelligence sharing and joint operations to tackle terrorism, transnational crimes and other security threats confronting the continent.
Aneke made the call at the closing of the 2026 African Air Chiefs’ Symposium held in Tunis, Tunisia, where regional air force leaders gathered to deepen collaboration on collective security and airpower development.
The CAS, who was unanimously re-elected Chairman of the Association of African Air Forces for another two-year term, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to promoting African-led security cooperation and collective responses to emerging threats across the continent.
The symposium brought together Air Chiefs, senior military officers and strategic partners from across Africa to enhance collaboration in airpower development, interoperability and coordinated security operations aimed at promoting peace, stability and sustainable development.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Aneke said the theme of the symposium, “Operationalizing the Association of African Air Forces: A New Era of Shared Responsibility,” underscored the urgent need for African nations to jointly develop practical and sustainable solutions to evolving security challenges.
He noted that terrorism, insurgency, transnational organised crime and humanitarian crises continued to threaten peace and prosperity in Africa, stressing the need for stronger partnerships, intelligence sharing and improved operational coordination among African air forces.
According to him, “No single nation can effectively confront today’s complex security threats alone. Our collective strength lies in our ability to work together, share capabilities and build a united front against forces that threaten the peace and prosperity of our continent.”
The CAS said the symposium marked another step towards strengthening the operationalisation of the Association through active participation and shared commitment among member states.
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He referenced the successful conduct of the Table-Top Exercise during the 2025 African Air Chiefs’ Symposium in Zambia as a milestone towards the planned Field Training Exercise scheduled for Kenya in February 2027.
According to him, such initiatives are critical to improving interoperability, operational readiness and coordinated responses to security and humanitarian challenges across Africa.
Activities at the symposium also featured strategic presentations and engagements focused on improving the effectiveness and responsiveness of African air forces in addressing contemporary security threats.
On the sidelines of the symposium, Aneke held bilateral and multilateral meetings with partner air forces and international stakeholders to expand cooperation in training, joint exercises, intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism operations.
The engagements, he said, further reinforced the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to building stronger strategic partnerships to enhance operational effectiveness, support ongoing counter-insurgency operations and promote regional stability.
At the closing ceremony, Aneke thanked member nations for re-electing him as Chairman of the Association of African Air Forces, describing the decision as a demonstration of confidence in his leadership and strategic vision for the Association.
He said the symposium had provided a valuable platform for addressing evolving security challenges and strengthening cooperation towards collective airpower development across the continent.
Aneke also emphasised the importance of political support, intelligence sharing, interoperability, air mobility, logistics cooperation and indigenous capacity development in enhancing operational readiness and long-term sustainability.
He added that the symposium reflected the growing determination among African nations to pursue lasting peace, security and prosperity through partnership, innovation and collective action.
