
The deepening of the Albania-Turkey strategic partnership in the field of defense and security, as well as the orientation of cooperation towards concrete projects in areas of mutual interest, were the focus of today's official visit of the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Albania, Ermal Nufi, to Turkey and the bilateral meeting with the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Turkey, Yaşar Güler.
During the meeting, Minister Nufi underlined that "Albania and Turkey share a consolidated partnership, based on strong historical and human ties, joint membership in NATO and sustainable cooperation in the field of defense and security."
He expressed Albania's appreciation for Turkey's long-standing contribution to the modernization of the Albanian Armed Forces, emphasizing the importance of increasingly practical cooperation.
"For more than 20 years, Albanian cadets, officers and NCOs have attended academies and training programs in Turkey, making education and training one of the most stable pillars of the bilateral defense relationship. Cooperation will continue to focus on the modernization of the Albanian Armed Forces, capacity development and increased interoperability, in accordance with NATO standards and objectives," Nufi said during the meeting.
The focus of the conversation was also the expansion of cooperation with Turkish companies through investments in Albania and joint ventures.
"Albania sees potential for appropriate technology transfer and development of domestic capacities, creating new opportunities for the Albanian defense industry," said Minister Nufi.
The Minister of Defense also said that Albania appreciates Turkey's contribution to KFOR and support for the Albanian contingent in EUFOR ALTHEA, while both countries continue their commitment to Euro-Atlantic security and stability.
The two Defense Ministers shared the belief that our two countries should intensify efforts to increase consolidated defense cooperation towards a more structured program of practical cooperation, with concrete projects and measurable results.
Minister Nufi's visit to Ankara aims to give the strategic partnership with Turkey a new dimension, orienting it increasingly towards projects, capacities and concrete results in the interest of both countries and common security.