Air Marshal Elson Moyo, the Commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) has expressed his country’s desire to explore technical assistance from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
The Zimbabwe Air force commander made the request when he visited the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, at NAF headquarters in Abuja.
This is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Air Commodore Ayodele Famuyiwa, the Director, of Public Relations and Information, NAF, in Abuja.
The Zimbabwe commander expressed his country’s desire for collaboration with the NAF in areas such as research and development, unmanned aerial vehicle technology, as well as operation and maintenance of F7 and Mi-35 aircraft.
Moyo highlighted the common and peculiar aviation interests that Zimbabwe and Nigeria share, as both countries operate similar aircraft.
He also commended the NAF for its support to AFZ in the past, particularly for the high-quality training given to the first batch of Zimbabwean pilots trained in the 1980s by the NAF.
The European Union (EU), the United States, and the United Kingdom have all imposed sanctions on the country in response to alleged human rights violations, government policies, and actions that impede democracy.
According to Moyo, sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe have limited the ability of the AFZ to acquire basic aircraft parts and other technical aids necessary for operational efficiency.
He noted that the NAF, within a short time, had recorded remarkable feats in its transformation effort to develop indigenous capacity, which provides a motivation for the AFZ to look inward.
Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, the Chief of the Air Staff, expressed the NAF’s willingness to partner with the AFZ.
Amao noted that improved synergy among African countries is the solution to many of the challenges, including security, facing the continent.
He added that collaboration in the areas of training, technical assistance, and technology transfer would boost the capacity of African countries to be self-reliant and independent in driving progress and development on the continent.
The Zimbabwean air chief is currently on a week-long visit to Nigeria, during which he will visit some NAF units, including the North East.
This visit marks a step forward in the relationship between Zimbabwe and Nigeria and highlights the importance of collaboration between African countries.
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