Commander of the Kenya Air Force (KAF), Major General Fatuma Ahmed along with other KAF officers, recently participated in the 14th African Air Chiefs Symposium (AACS) in Lusaka, Zambia. Hosted by the Zambia Air Force and the U.S. Air Forces Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF).
The week-long symposium aimed to enhance the effectiveness of African air forces. The AACS brought together members of the Association of African Air Forces (AAAF) and included a variety of workshops, community engagement activities, and cultural exchanges. Its main objective was to strengthen regional partnerships and address key challenges, such as Humanitarian Assistance (HA) and Disaster Response (DR).
This year’s theme focused on crisis response capabilities of African air forces. A Table Top Exercise (TTX) was also conducted to improve coordination and readiness for HA/DR missions, with a particular emphasis on air mobility and resource sharing.
Additionally, the Air Chiefs engaged in bilateral talks, further enhancing cooperation among the participating countries. In 2025, AACS had the privilege of hosting 37 countries, including Kenya, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Egypt, Eswatini, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Seychelles, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, USA, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Since its establishment in 2011, AACS has been hosted by a different member country of the Association of African Air Forces each year. In 2019, Kenya Air Force had the honor of hosting the event.
This ongoing collaboration and pursuit of operational excellence will continue to strengthen African air forces and promote regional stability in the years to come.
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