By Nkechi Eze
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening African-led security cooperation and collective responses to terrorism, insurgency and other emerging threats across the continent during the 2026 African Air Chiefs’ Symposium held in Tunis, Tunisia.
The symposium, organised under the auspices of the Association of African Air Forces from 11 to 15 May 2026, brought together Air Chiefs, senior military leaders and strategic partners from across Africa to deepen collaboration in airpower development, interoperability and coordinated security operations aimed at promoting peace, stability and sustainable development on the continent.
According to an official signed statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Air Marshal Aneke, while speaking at the opening ceremony, said the symposium’s theme, “Operationalizing the Association of African Air Forces: A New Era of Shared Responsibility,” underscores the urgent need for African nations to collectively develop practical and sustainable solutions to evolving security challenges.
The Chief of the Air Staff noted that terrorism, insurgency, transnational organised crime and humanitarian crises continue to threaten peace and prosperity across Africa, stressing that stronger partnerships, intelligence sharing and enhanced operational coordination among African air forces have become imperative.
“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 stated.
Air Marshal Aneke further described the symposium as another significant step towards strengthening the operationalisation of the Association through active participation and shared commitment among member nations. He referenced the successful conduct of the Table-Top Exercise during the 2025 African Air Chiefs’ Symposium in Zambia as a critical milestone towards the planned Field Training Exercise scheduled for Kenya in February 2027.
He explained that such initiatives remain vital to improving interoperability, operational readiness and coordinated responses to both security and humanitarian challenges across Africa.
The symposium also featured strategic presentations and high-level engagements focused on enhancing the effectiveness and responsiveness of African air forces in tackling contemporary security threats.
On the sidelines of the event, the Nigerian Air Force chief 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, according to the statement, further reinforced the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to building stronger strategic partnerships that will enhance operational effectiveness, support ongoing counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism efforts, and promote regional stability across the continent.
During the closing ceremony, Air Marshal Aneke was unanimously re-elected as Chairman of the Association of African Air Forces for another two-year term, reflecting what member nations described as confidence in his leadership and strategic vision for the organisation.
In his closing remarks, the CAS said the symposium had provided a valuable platform for addressing evolving security challenges and strengthening cooperation towards collective airpower development among African air forces.
He 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.
The symposium, he added, continues to reinforce the growing determination among African nations to pursue lasting peace, security and prosperity through partnership, innovation and collective action.
