Pakistan vows to provide capacity-building assistance, training to Rwanda’s air force

Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu (R) in a meeting with Rwanda's Air Chief Let. Gen. Jean Jacques Mupenzi at the Air Headquarters in Islamabad, Pakistan on February 12, 2024. (ISPR)
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  • Rwandan air chief Let. Gen. Jean Jacques Mupenzi meets Pakistani counterpart with high-level delegation in Islamabad 
  • His visit reflects Rwanda’s desire to restructure air force using Pakistan’s professional expertise, says military’s media wing 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu on Wednesday reiterated his unwavering support to provide capacity building assistance to Rwanda’s air force and share his force’s operational training expertise with the African country to help meet its security challenges, the military’s media wing said. 

A high-level defense delegation from Rwanda led by Rwanda Air Chief Let. Gen. Jean Jacques Mupenzi called on Sidhu at the Air Headquarters in Islamabad, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. 

Sidhu shared insights into various ongoing modernization projects of the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) operational construct, force goals and plans for the force structure with a keen focus on future warfare, the ISPR said. 

“The Air Chief reiterated PAF’s unwavering support to provide capacity-building assistance to the Rwandan Air Force in upgradation of its human resource, maintenance parameters and operational training,” the ISPR said. 

Mupenzi admired PAF’s professional training standards, modernized infrastructure and multi-domain capabilities, the military’s media wing said. The Rwandan air chief emphasized the need for a major overhaul and collaboration to enhance the capabilities of Rwanda’s Air Force with assistance from the PAF to meet “contemporary security challenges,” the ISPR said.

“The visiting dignitary also expressed a strong desire for a partnership with Pakistan Air Force aimed at establishing comprehensive training programs for basic-level training of aircrew and technical training of ground crew of Rwandan Air Force,” the ISPR said. 

The delegation was given a detailed briefing on the PAF’s operational capabilities during their visit to the National ISR & Integrated Air Operations Center and PAF Cyber Command in Islamabad, the ISPR said.

“This visit of Lt. Gen. Jean Jacques Mupenzi to Air Headquarters, Islamabad is testament to strong desire of Rwandan side to restructure their Air Force, utilizing the professional expertise of Pakistan Air Force,” the military’s media wing said.