Addis Ababa, 20 December 2018

The RDF Air Force Chief of Staff, Maj Gen Charles KARAMBA attended today in Ethiopia a graduation of fifty (50) Rwanda Air Force Airmen and Airwomen who have been undergoing an Aircraft Maintenance diploma course from the Ethiopian Air Force Academy and met his Ethiopian counterpart Brig Gen Yilma, the newly appointed Ethiopian Air Force Commander. In his remarks, the RDF Air Force Chief of Staff, Maj Gen Karamba thanked the Federal Government Republic of Ethiopia, the Defence HQ and the Air Force in particular for the support, adding that the training is a result of the two countries’ historical and brotherly cooperation that dates back in the 90's. He congratulated Brig Gen Yilma Merdasa upon his new appointment as the Ethiopian Air Force Commander. “I want to thank the Air Force Academy for having trained us for two years which is why we are celebrating today. I also thank the graduates for the job well done, and emphasise that in aviation, the real training happens at work and I believe the acquired skills will benefit us all,” said Maj Gen Karamba. Among the 50 graduates are seven (7) women, who like the rest; have specialised in aviation power plant, airframe, electrical, instruments, navigation and armament systems. Rwanda Defence Force and the Ethiopian National Defence Forces enjoy strong bilateral relations, and have over the last 20 years cooperated in areas of engineering, aviation and medicine.