Lefkosa: In a speech delivered at the TEKNOFEST Award Ceremony in Lefkosa, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Trkiye ranks among the world’s top three countries in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology. He pledged to continue advancing in this field with unwavering determination and enthusiasm.

According to Anadolu Agency, Erdogan expressed confidence in the future, adding, “With the TEKNOFEST youth, the projects rising across TRNC, and our strategic initiatives, we will continue to stand here for centuries to come.” He emphasized Trkiye’s strong relations with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), stating, “We, as the Turkish nation and the Turkish Cypriots, are the hosts of these lands. Those who do not know this should know, and those who have not heard should hear.”

TRNC President Ersin Tatar, for his part, also praised Trkiye’s defense industry achievements, saying, “The institutions behind Trkiye’s recent successes in the national defense industry are monuments of pride for the entire Turkic world.” Tatar emphasized that the peace, stability, and security of the Turkish Cypriot people in the Eastern Mediterranean depend on Trkiye’s presence in the region and the security provided by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). He said these achievements have made the TRNC a safer place in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Erdogan later awarded prizes to the young winners of the TEKNOFEST competition. Selcuk Bayraktar, chairman of the TEKNOFEST Board and the Turkish Technology Team Foundation (T3 Foundation), also presented gifts to Erdogan and Tatar.

Trkiye’s premier technology, aviation, and space event, TEKNOFEST, had its latest edition in the TRNC and attracted thousands of people in Lefkosa, hosting around 62,000 visitors on the first day of the four-day event. On the festival’s second day, Turkish indigenous aerial vehicles SOLOTURK, HURKUS, the Gendarmerie’s Steel Wings, Bayraktar TB2, and the T-129 ATAK helicopter performed aerial displays. The shows will continue until Sunday.