Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák signs two important agreements in Azerbaijan

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák along with Prime Minister Robert Fico and other members of the Slovak delegation made an official visit to Azerbaijan for talks with the highest representatives of the State, led by President Ilham Aliyev. The goal of the talks was to deepen ties between the countries in several areas, notably Defence and Security, including intensifying defence industrial base cooperation.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Defence Minister Col Gen Zakir Hasanov, signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) in Baku on Tuesday (7 May 2024). In addition, the head of the Slovak Ministry of Defence and Azerbaijani Minister for Defence Industry Vugar Mustafayev gave their signatures to another key document – a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), wherein both sides committed to future cooperation on military and technical matters falling under the MOD's remit.

On the MOU, Minister Kaliňák underscored that it marks an important milestone, one which successfully defines the areas of cooperation between the Nations' defence industries. “The possibility of developing our arms industry in collaboration with Azerbaijan provides a great space for Slovakia’s economic growth,” the head of the MOD said, noting that it is still premature to talk about specific orders. “Azerbaijan is interested in building a technological base for manufacturing industry, which would place it among the countries with heavy industry. We have many years of experience in that area. And we have a chance to help them build it,” Mr Kaliňák added.

Azerbaijani Government officials have shown interest in different products and technologies of the Slovak defence industry as well as in advancing cooperation in the field of military training, exercises and education. Our arms manufacturers can offer Azerbaijan several interesting products and cooperative programmes in the fields of weapon systems and munitions of almost every type.