The Government has formally acknowledged that the country currently lacks a structured defense industry, announcing its intention to lay the foundations of a sector it considers vital for national sovereignty and security.
This new production capacity was presented by the Minister of National Defense, Cristóvão Chume, on the sidelines of the 1st Mozambique-Turkey Defense Industry Forum, held from 19 to 20 November 2025 in Maputo.
In his statement, the minister said directly: “Our capacity is incipient. At present, we do not have a defense industry in the country. We do not.”
According to the minister, this reality requires Mozambique to take urgent first steps, prioritizing the domestic production of ammunition, the manufacture and maintenance of weaponry, drone assembly, and the development of CCTV surveillance solutions, among other initiatives.
The government’s plan also includes the creation of national units capable of producing personal protective equipment for troops, specialized food rations to supply the Armed Forces, and support for the Police and populations affected by disasters.
The defense industry, Chume added, “should also extend to the fields of medicine and medical engineering, with solutions adapted to the sector’s operational requirements.”
For the minister, this represents a “broad range of opportunities” that could lay the foundations of a new economic and strategic structure for Mozambique, allowing it, in the medium term, to reduce dependency on imports and establish itself as a regional player with industrial defense capacity.
The forum brings together over 50 Turkish entrepreneurs, representatives of the Mozambican government, academics, and private sector entities, creating a platform for technical and institutional dialogue. Organized within the framework of the Mozambique-Turkey bilateral partnership, the event aims to stimulate investment, promote technology transfer, and lay the groundwork for a future national defense industry.
Source: Diário Económico
