The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to bolstering African-led security cooperation as he chaired the 2026 African Air Chiefs’ Symposium in Tunis, Tunisia.
According to a statement, the event held under the Association of African Air Forces (AAAF), the symposium convened Air Chiefs, senior military leaders and strategic partners from across Africa to advance airpower development, interoperability and coordinated operations that support peace, stability and sustainable development.
At the opening ceremony, Air Marshal Aneke 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 produce practical, sustainable responses to terrorism, insurgency and other evolving threats.
He stressed that stronger partnerships, intelligence sharing and improved operational coordination are essential to confronting threats that undermine peace and prosperity. He added that AAAF initiatives are focused on enhancing interoperability, operational readiness and coordinated responses to both security and humanitarian challenges continent wide.
On the sidelines, the CAS held bilateral and multilateral talks with partner air forces and international stakeholders to expand cooperation in training, joint exercises, intelligence sharing and counter‑terrorism operations.
At the symposium’s close, Air Marshal Aneke was unanimously re-elected as Chairman of the Association of African Air Forces for a further two-year term, a reflection of member states’ confidence in his leadership and vision for African-led security solutions.
