It’s about time African countries begin to see the military might in themselves rather than contracting or waiting for western aid every time. They can begin seeking collaboration among themselves to combat common major threats facing them and ultimately foster unity among its people.
Air Marshal Elson Moyo, the commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), has voiced his nation’s intention to explore technical assistance from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
When Moyo went to see Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, the Chief of the Air Staff, at NAF headquarters in Abuja, he made the request.
This was announced in a statement released on Wednesday (29 March 2023) in Abuja by Air Commodore Ayodele Famuyiwa, director of public relations and information for the NAF.
The air chief of Zimbabwe asked for technical assistance in F7 and Mi-35 aircraft operation and maintenance, research and development, and unmanned aerial vehicle technology.
The areas for collaboration, according to Moyo, are of special and common aviation interest to Zimbabwe and Nigeria, whose air forces use some comparable aircraft.
He said NAF, within a short time, had recorded remarkable feats in its transformation effort to develop indigenous capacity.
In order to address the technical issues brought on by the sanctions placed on his nation, which have made it difficult for the AFZ to obtain the fundamental aircraft components and other technical tools required for operational effectiveness, he claims that the AFZ should use this as motivation to look inward.
Moyo also applauded the NAF for its past assistance to AFZ, noting the first group of Zimbabwean pilots it trained in the 1980s received excellent training.
This, in his opinion, influences the AFZ’s choice to seek better synergy and collaboration with the NAF in terms of capacity development.
In his remarks, the Nigerian air chief, Amao, said the NAF was ready to forge mutually benefitting partnership with the AFZ.
Amao said NAF was currently in partnership with many countries in Africa and beyond, adding that it was willing to partner with others who would seek collaboration with the Service.
Amao stated that NAF was currently in partnerships with numerous nations, both within and outside of Africa, and that it was ready to cooperate with those that sought to work with the Service.
He asserts that more cooperation among African nations is the answer to the continent’s various problems, particularly its security.
Amao continued by saying that cooperation in the fields of technical aid, training, and technology transfer will increase the potential of African nations to be independent and self-sufficient in advancing development on the continent.
The head of the Zimbabwean air force is in Nigeria for a week and will be visiting some NAF units, including the North East.
Ref: NAN
