Across the continent, Air Forces are striving to achieve air supremacy, neutralize threats and gather intelligence. They also play a pivotal role in humanitarian and disaster relief efforts.
That occasionally overlooked role was the focus of the recent African Air Chiefs Symposium, where more than 240 participants from 38 nations gathered in Lusaka, Zambia, from February 17-21.
Citing the ebb and flow of drought and floods in his country, Zambia Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Oscar Nyoni underscored the importance of bringing together air chiefs from across the continent.
“Air Forces across Africa possess a unique capability to do more than just safeguard our skies,” he said during an online media briefing on February 19. “With diverse air assets and skilled personnel, we have the potential to provide vital support to nations in distress.
“These things come unannounced, and they can affect anybody at any time. So it is very gratifying that we are hosting this symposium at a time that we have seen the effects of drought, and we know exactly what it means to seek support from other willing nations.”
The annual symposium is the keystone event for the Association of African Air Forces (AAAF), which Nyoni chairs. The organization focuses on collaboration in finding African-led air power solutions among its 29 member nations and the United States Air Force.
U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa Commander Gen. James Hecker highlighted the growing role of the association, which has expanded significantly since its creation in 2015.
“From just four countries to 29 member nations, the expansion of the Association of African Air Forces reflects Africa’s increasing capacity to address its challenges collectively,” he said during the online media briefing.
While the weeklong event featured workshops, community engagement activities and cultural exchanges, its centerpiece was a tabletop exercise, which sought to improve coordination and readiness for humanitarian assistance and disaster response missions with an emphasis on air mobility and resource-sharing. A tabletop exercise is a discussion-based session where team members meet in an informal setting to discuss their roles during an emergency and their responses to a particular simulated situation.
Hecker underscored the importance of planning, noting that critical logistical questions, such as fuel costs, supply arrangements and diplomatic clearances for overflights, must be addressed in advance rather than during a crisis.
“What we’re doing here is the beginning of this tabletop exercise,” Hecker said. “The culmination will be a live-flight lifeline exercise that will occur in Kenya in November of 2026.”
The live-flight exercise aims to enhance coordination, response time and logistical efficiency in disaster-relief scenarios.
Since its establishment in 2011, a different member nation of the association has hosted the symposium each year. Nigeria will host in 2026.
With the AAAF anthem playing during the closing ceremony, Nyoni passed the association flag to Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, the Nigerian Air Force chief of staff and the next chairman of the organization. The association chose both the new flag and the new anthem during the session.
“Together we can achieve greatness as one unified continent,” Abubakar said. “This symposium is more than just a meeting of minds. It is a demonstration of our commitment towards a safe, more secure and prosperous Africa. Our collaboration is a powerful reminder of the importance of finding African solutions to African problems.”
Nyoni reflected Zambia’s pride in hosting the symposium, noting that the event is a significant step toward deeper collaboration among African Air Forces.
“The enthusiasm and the contributions that have been brought on board by the chiefs from all over Africa — that’s Southern Africa, East Africa, West Africa, and the North — has been fantastic,” he said. “And seeing the contributions from them and their desire to contribute towards solving African problems is highly appreciated. And for us in Zambia, being at the center of it, it’s something that I think is very, very encouraging and inspiring.”