Chief of Defence Staff of the Rwanda Defence Force Mubarakh Muganga has held talks with his Turkish counterpart, General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, in Istanbul, as both countries deepen defence and security cooperation.
The meeting took place on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, on the sidelines of the SAHA 2026 International Defence, Aerospace and Space Industry Fair—one of the largest defence exhibitions in Türkiye and Europe, bringing together more than 1,700 companies from over 120 countries.
The exhibition showcases over 200 advanced systems, including drones, laser-based weapons, and modern air defence technologies, reflecting rapid innovation in the global defence industry.
Rwanda and Türkiye already maintain growing defence ties, particularly in technology transfer, training, and defence industry development.
In January 2025, President Paul Kagame and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed agreements aimed at advancing cooperation in defence manufacturing and military technology.
The partnership has since expanded through follow-up agreements signed in late 2025 and early 2026, focusing on strengthening Rwanda’s capacity to locally produce military equipment.
Among the flagship initiatives is the planned establishment of a drone assembly facility in Kigali for both surveillance and combat drones, alongside support for production lines for light weapons and technical equipment.
The cooperation also includes advanced training programmes for Rwandan military officers in Turkish defence academies and counter-terrorism institutions, underscoring a broader push toward strategic capacity building.
