Odita Sunday 
Nigeria Pushes African-Led Security Cooperation Against Terrorism at Tunis Air Chiefs’ Symposium
By Odita Sunday
The Chief of the Air Staff, Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening African-led security cooperation and collective responses against terrorism, insurgency and transnational crimes across the continent.
Air Marshal Aneke made the declaration while chairing the 2026 African Air Chiefs’ Symposium held in Tunis, Tunisia, from May 11 to 15 under the auspices of the Association of African Air Forces.
The symposium brought together Air Chiefs, senior military officials 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.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Aneke stated that the symposium’s theme, “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 emerging security threats.
According to him, terrorism, insurgency, organised transnational crime and humanitarian crises continue to threaten peace and prosperity across Africa, thereby making stronger partnerships, intelligence sharing and operational coordination among African air forces 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.
Aneke further described the symposium as another significant milestone 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 major step towards the planned Field Training Exercise scheduled to hold in 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.
The symposium also featured strategic presentations and engagements focused on strengthening the effectiveness and responsiveness of African air forces in tackling contemporary threats.
On the sidelines of the event, the Nigerian Air Force boss held bilateral and multilateral meetings with partner air forces and international stakeholders aimed at expanding cooperation in training, intelligence sharing, joint exercises and counter-terrorism operations.
The engagements, according to the Air Force, are expected to further strengthen operational effectiveness and regional stability across the continent.
At the closing ceremony, Air Marshal Aneke was unanimously re-elected Chairman of the Association of African Air Forces for another two-year term.
In his remarks, the CAS said the symposium provided a strategic platform for addressing evolving security challenges and enhancing collective airpower development among African nations.
He emphasized the importance of political support, intelligence sharing, interoperability, logistics cooperation and indigenous capacity development in strengthening operational readiness and long-term sustainability.
The symposium, he noted, reflects the growing determination among African nations to pursue lasting peace, security and prosperity through partnership, innovation and collective action.
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