By Zoila Palma: Lieutenant Colonel Kenroy Smith in his capacity as Air Chief, and Captain Andre Ayuso, Belize’s official representative to the System of Cooperation Among the American Air Forces (SICOFAA), recently attended the annual Conference of the Chiefs of the American Air Forces (CONJEFAMER) held in the Dominican Republic.
SICOFAA is an international organization that brings together the air forces of the Americas to promote cooperation, interoperability, professional development, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, and search and rescue coordination among member nations. Through regular conferences, exercises, and established communication networks, the organization strengthens the ability of countries throughout the hemisphere to support one another during times of crisis.
The BDF noted that the value of this cooperation was most recently demonstrated following Hurricane Melissa’s impact on Jamaica in 2025, when SICOFAA member and partner nations rapidly mobilized assistance, providing fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, including CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, engineering contingents, rescue teams, medical personnel, humanitarian aid, and logistics support to assist affected communities throughout the island.
The BDF noted that for Belize, participation in SICOFAA represents far more than military cooperation; it is an investment in national resilience and disaster preparedness.
“As a country vulnerable to hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters, Belize stands to benefit from access to regional expertise, emergency airlift, search and rescue capabilities, medical evacuation assets, engineering support, humanitarian assistance, and established coordination mechanisms that can be activated when needed. The relationships built through organizations such as SICOFAA ensure that, should Belize ever face a major national emergency, it would not stand alone but would be able to rely on the support and solidarity of partners throughout the Americas,” the BDF explained.
The BDF says that it remains committed to strengthening regional partnerships and enhancing cooperation to better serve and protect the people of Belize.
The post Belize represented at System of Cooperation Among the American Air Forces appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Lieutenant Colonel Kenroy Smith in his capacity as Air Chief, and Captain Andre Ayuso, Belize’s official representative to the System of Cooperation Among the American Air Forces (SICOFAA), recently attended the annual Conference of the Chiefs of the American Air Forces (CONJEFAMER) held in the Dominican Republic. SICOFAA is an international organization
The post Belize represented at System of Cooperation Among the American Air Forces appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
