2025 will go down as a key year for Armscor outreach with this week’s announcement of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Republic of Korea (RoK) marking another successful offshore foray for the State-owned defence and security acquisition company.
It comes on the heels of an October inaugural South African defence industry (SADI) seminar in Japan which had its origin in the May Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) Japan exhibition. Before that Armscor, as part of a stated aim to reposition South African defence and security acquisition and project management in Africa, was in Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia at defence conferences, exhibitions and seminars. The Côte d’Ivoire visit saw Armscor and that country’s defence ministry sign a letter of co-operation to explore potential business opportunities
The RoK MoU, signed at Armscor’s head office in Pretoria, has a duration of five years and commits Armscor and DAPA (Defence Acquisition Programme Administration) to enhancing defence industry co-operation and defence development and research collaboration. This, as per an Armscor statement, will focus on production and exchange of defence materiel, knowledge and technologies, guided by the principle of reciprocity.
A Joint Committee on Defence Industry Cooperation with Korean and South African expertise will “give effect to the MoU”. Additionally, Armscor and its South Korean counterpart DAPA will promote cross country defence industry collaboration. Armament systems acquisitions as well as joint defence research initiatives are said to be “appropriate”.
Commenting on what is termed “a significant milestone”, Armscor Chief Executive Solomzi Mbada stressed the importance collaboration and strategic partnerships across the defence sector globally.
“We [Armscor] play a pivotal role in capacitating the [SA National] defence force with the materiel required to execute its mandate. Our ability to consistently deliver on this mandate is rooted in our commitment to providing quality and fit-for-purpose solutions. This is achieved through strong partnerships with industry, supported by our acquisition and research and development capabilities,” he is quoted as saying.
The MoU, the statement continues, provides a platform for Armscor to leverage its decades of acquisition expertise to deliver key solutions that support the broader defence ecosystem. The collaboration is seen as an opportunity to strengthen bonds of friendship and mutual interest with DAPA and further reinforces Armscor’s position as “a gateway to defence solutions for South Africa and the African continent at large,” according to Mbada.
