By Odita Sunday
African air forces are moving to deepen continental cooperation and build a more sustainable framework for joint airpower initiatives, following a high-level strategic planning conference held at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
The five-day conference, organised by the Association of African Air Forces (AAAF) and hosted by USAFE-AFAFRICA from August 31 to September 4, 2026, brought together members of the AAAF Permanent Secretariat, planners for the AAAF Exercise (AAAFEX) 2027, liaison officers, working-group representatives and subject-matter experts.
Representatives of the System of Cooperation Among the American Air Forces (SICOFAA) also participated in the meeting, providing experience from multilateral air force cooperation for consideration within the African context.
The conference focused on translating decisions reached at the 2026 African Air Chiefs’ Symposium (AACS) in Tunisia into practical programmes, while strengthening AAAF’s institutional capacity to coordinate cooperation among African Air Forces.
A key outcome was progress on the AAAF Procedures Manual and Strategic Plan 2027–2034, alongside the development of a three-year roadmap expected to guide the Association’s activities towards AAAFEX 2029.
Participants also placed strategic communication high on the agenda, examining measures to establish a coordinated digital presence, develop a unified messaging framework and improve engagement with member Air Forces, governments, strategic partners, the media and other stakeholders.
Given the Association’s multilingual membership, the conference further considered ways to strengthen communication in English, French and Portuguese.
The Permanent Secretariat also engaged representatives of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Senior Enlisted forums, with discussions focused on improving coordination and ensuring that AAAF’s strategic objectives are effectively communicated across its various working groups.
Institutional continuity was another major issue addressed at the conference, particularly following the introduction of dedicated Public Affairs and Continuity Manager positions within the Permanent Secretariat.
Participants examined mechanisms for preserving institutional knowledge, improving coordination and ensuring that the Association’s programmes remain sustainable beyond changes in leadership and individual office holders.
The involvement of SICOFAA representatives further enabled African air forces to examine established practices in multilateral military cooperation and identify lessons that could be adapted to the African environment.
The conference ended with a review of action points and recommendations for consideration by AAAF leadership, with the outcomes expected to strengthen implementation of AACS decisions, working-group coordination, strategic communication and institutional development.
The Association said the meeting marked an important step in its efforts to build stronger professional relationships among African Air Forces, facilitate the exchange of experiences and practices, and develop collective responses to shared air and security challenges.
As it advances towards the implementation of the agreed roadmap, AAAF said it remains committed to building an enduring, African-led framework for airpower cooperation in support of peace, security and professional development across the continent.
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