ISTANBUL, (HAN) – Somalia’s State Minister of Defence, Omar Ali Abdi, held a meeting today in Istanbul with İlhami Keleş, Director General of Makine ve Kimya Endüstrisi (MKE), one of Turkey’s leading defence industry enterprises.
The talks focused on expanding defence cooperation between Somalia and Turkey, with particular emphasis on strengthening the institutional and technical capacity of the Somali National Army (SNA).
MKE, headquartered in Ankara, is considered the backbone of Turkey’s defence industry. The company is renowned for producing a wide range of weaponry, including the MPT-76 assault rifle, heavy artillery, and internationally certified ammunition. MKE plays a central role in supplying modern arms to Turkey and exporting to allied nations.
Officials from both sides underlined the importance of cooperation with major defence firms such as MKE, noting that such partnerships could support Somalia in building a modern and well-equipped national army.
