A delegation from the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, led by Minister Zukan Helez, has begun an official visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt. On the first day of the visit, Minister Helez met with Major General Salah Suleiman Gamblat, Minister of Military Production of Egypt, in order to discuss strengthening cooperation in the field of the defense industry.
The officials exchanged views on the potentials and capacities of both countries during the substantive and constructive meeting. Helez briefed his Egyptian counterpart on the production capabilities, high product quality, and continuous development potential of the defense industry of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has recorded exceptional growth and achieved significant results on the international market in recent years.
Special emphasis was placed on promoting the upcoming first international defense industry fair in Bosnia and Herzegovina – the “First Balkan Shield – Industrial Expo Summit 2026.”
Minister Helez emphasized that this summit will gather key domestic, regional, and global actors from the military sector aimed at exchanging experiences and strengthening ties. He also extended an official invitation to the Egyptian partners to actively participate in the event.
As part of the visit, the delegation from Bosnia and Herzegovina toured defense industry factories in Egypt, where Minister Helez witnessed firsthand the country’s impressive production capacities and technological development. On this occasion, he highlighted that there is immense potential for joint projects between companies from BiH and Egypt.
“I believe that Egypt, thanks to its geostrategic position and strong economic ties across the African continent, can serve as an important launching pad for the further expansion of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s defense industry products into African markets. At the same time, cooperation with our companies can open up new opportunities for Egyptian partners in the markets of Southeast Europe. I am convinced that this visit will further strengthen relations between our nations and open up new avenues for cooperation in the fields of defense, the defense industry, and overall bilateral relations,” Helez stated.
The official visit will continue over the coming days, during which Minister Helez is scheduled to meet with two more Egyptian state ministers. The culmination of this visit will be the official signing of the Defense Cooperation Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Arab Republic of Egypt, which will establish the legal and strategic framework for even closer partnership relations.
