African air forces urged to strengthen collaboration to tackle transnational security threats
Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, the Chief of the Air Staff, has called for enhanced cooperation among African nations to effectively address the continent’s complex and transnational security challenges.
In his opening remarks at the 4th African Air Forces Forum in Lagos, Air Marshal Abubakar emphasized the need for deeper collaboration, stressing that no single African country can tackle the evolving security threats alone. He addressed air chiefs, defense experts, and strategic partners from across the continent and beyond, underscoring the importance of cooperation, trust, and shared strategic interests in achieving peace and stability in Africa.
“In today’s rapidly evolving threat environment, the capacity to project airpower for deterrence, surveillance, logistics, or combat has become indispensable,” said Abubakar. “However, at the core of Africa’s effective employment of airpower lies the imperative for trusted partnerships anchored in shared values and strategic interests.”
Focusing on the theme of the forum, ‘Strengthening Collaborations in Advanced Aerospace Technologies for Enhanced National and Regional Security,’ he stressed the growing need for African air forces to work together to address transnational threats. “As threats become increasingly transnational in nature, the urgency for enhanced cooperation, innovation, and strategic foresight among African air forces cannot be overemphasized,” he added.
Abubakar highlighted that the forum serves as a critical platform for building strong relationships, exchanging ideas, and facilitating technology transfer, all of which are essential for Africa’s progress toward greater self-sufficiency in aerospace and defense capabilities.
