Egypt and Türkiye have taken further steps to strengthen bilateral military and defence-industrial cooperation following an official visit to Türkiye by Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher, Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces and Minister of Defense and Military Production.

Lieutenant General Zaher concluded his official visit to Türkiye after holding high-level talks with Turkish defence officials and visiting major defence-industry facilities.

During the visit, Zaher met with Turkish Minister of National Defence Yaşar Güler, with discussions focusing on expanding military cooperation between the two countries, particularly in training and the transfer and exchange of expertise between the Egyptian and Turkish Armed Forces.

The two ministers also co-chaired a high-level meeting that concluded with the signing of a Letter of Intent aimed at enhancing defence cooperation between Egypt and Türkiye.

Defence-industrial cooperation formed another major component of the visit. Zaher met with the President of Türkiye’s Defence Industry Agency to discuss potential areas of collaboration and received a presentation on the capabilities and advanced manufacturing capacity of the Turkish defence sector.

A further Letter of Intent was signed between the President of the Turkish Defence Industry Agency and Egypt’s Director of Military Intelligence, supporting prospects for cooperation in defence industries and the development of joint capabilities.

As part of his programme, Zaher visited the headquarters of several leading Turkish defence companies, where the Egyptian delegation reviewed advanced military technologies, equipment and manufacturing capabilities. The visits also provided an opportunity to explore potential areas of industrial cooperation and the exchange of expertise in military production.

The growing defence relationship between Cairo and Ankara could create additional opportunities for cooperation in military technology, local production and industrial partnerships as both countries seek to expand their respective defence-industrial capabilities.

During his stay, Zaher also visited Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Türkiye, where he laid a wreath in his honour.

The visit reflects the continuing development of Egyptian–Turkish relations and the increasing emphasis being placed on practical military and defence-industrial cooperation between the two countries.