African Air Forces Deepen Continental Airpower Cooperation

The Association of African Air Forces (AAAF) has taken major steps towards strengthening continental airpower cooperation and institutional continuity against threats.

Some of the steps taken at a high-level planning conference held from 31st August to 4th September, 2026, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, include to develop practical, African-led mechanisms for enhanced cooperation on the continent.

The conference hosted by USAFE-AFAFRICA brought together members of the AAAF Permanent Secretariat (PS), AAAF Exercise (AAAFEX) 2027 planners, liaison officers, working-group representatives and invited subject-matter experts, including representatives from the System of Cooperation Among the American Air Forces (SICOFAA) and USAFE-AFAFRICA.

Squadron Leader Olayinka Lawal, the public affairs officer, Permanent Secretariat Association of African Air Forces, in a statement, said  the conference provided a platform for the association to translate decisions and action points from the 2026 African Air Chiefs’ Symposium (AACS), held in Tunisia, into practical initiatives while drawing on relevant lessons from SICOFAA’s experience in multilateral air force cooperation.

According to him, the need to further develop AAAF as a more effective, sustainable and responsive platform for cooperation among African Air Forces took centre stage during deliberations.

Participants reviewed and advanced updates to the AAAF Procedures Manual and Strategic Plan 2027–2034, while developing a three-year roadmap to guide the Association’s activities towards AAAFEX 2029.

He added that conference had  as one of its major focus the strengthening of the Association’s strategic communication capability.

“The deliberations examined how AAAF can establish a coordinated digital presence, develop a consistent narrative and messaging framework, strengthen multilingual communication in English, French and Portuguese, and improve engagement with member Air Forces, governments, strategic partners, media and other stakeholders,” he said.

The Permanent Secretariat in recognition that effective communication is a collective responsibility also engaged with representatives of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Senior Enlisted forums to strengthen communication and collaboration between these working groups and the Secretariat.

The engagements he said, underscored the importance of ensuring that the Association’s strategic objectives are understood and supported across its various constituent groups.

The conference also examined mechanisms for preserving institutional knowledge, improving coordination and ensuring that AAAF initiatives remain sustainable beyond individual office holders.

The participation of SICOFAA representatives provided an opportunity for AAAF to examine established practices in multilateral air force cooperation and identify lessons that could be adapted to the African context.

He said, “ These exchanges reinforced the value of institutional learning and strengthened the Association’s commitment to developing practical, African-led mechanisms for enhanced cooperation”.

The conference culminated in a review of action items and the development of recommendations for consideration by the AAAF leadership.

“The outcomes are expected to provide a stronger foundation for implementing AACS action items, enhancing communication and stakeholder engagement, strengthening working-group coordination and advancing the Association’s institutional development.

The Planning Conference therefore represents an important milestone in the evolution of AAAF, demonstrating the Association’s commitment to building stronger professional relationships, improving interoperability of ideas and practices, facilitating the exchange of experiences and advancing collective responses to shared air and security challenges,” he said.

As AAAF moves towards the implementation of the agreed roadmap, the Association remains focused on strengthening cooperation among African Air Forces and building an enduring framework capable of supporting African-led airpower cooperation for peace, security and professional development across the continent.