Luanda, March 2, 2026 (Lusa) - The Turkish ambassador to Angola on Monday discussed with the Angolan president the strengthening of cooperation in the defence sector, at a time when, he said, the situation in the Middle East points to the need for investment in this area.

Muhammet Mustafa was received in audience by the Angolan head of state, João Lourenço, accompanied by a group of Turkish businessmen from the defence sector, who are expected to work with Angola to strengthen its defence and security capabilities, he said at the end of the meeting.

Asked about the conflict in the Middle East, the Turkish ambassador said that the issue was not specifically addressed at the meeting, adding only that the positions of both the Turkish and Angolan governments are well known: "both are in favour of dialogue and the peaceful resolution of issues".

The Turkish diplomat said that the meeting served to analyse issues of bilateral interest, including the topic of military equipment in the defence sector.

"The situation in the Middle East itself has just shown us the importance of investing in the defence sector and the necessary technologies. In this context, we brought a delegation from the Turkish defence sector to work with their Angolan counterparts on strengthening defence and security capabilities," said Muhammet Mustafa, adding that the goal is to help Angola become a militarily stronger country.

According to the Turkish ambassador, the Turkish defence industry is very strong in the field of drones and also in defending against drone attacks, noting that the delegation of Turkish businesspeople includes investors in these areas and also in the shipbuilding sector, as well as in the production of light weapons.

"We want to share technology and all our experience in the military field, as a leading country in the region," he said, stressing that Turkey is ready to produce and invest in Angola, with financing available for this purpose.

NME/AYLS // AYLS

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