Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Saturday inaugurated Sky Win Aeronautics Industries, a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturing company that marks a major step forward in the country’s pursuit of technological self-reliance and national security through peaceful deterrence.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Abiy emphasized that the company’s primary purpose is not to incite conflict but to prevent it, underscoring a vision of deterrence through innovation.
“Today, as we inaugurate Sky Win Aeronautics Industries, we recognize that the locally manufactured drones before us were unimaginable just a few years ago,” the prime minister stated on social media platform X. “These drones are not meant to fuel conflict, but to prevent it.”
The new facility will produce UAVs for both civilian and military applications. It is part of Ethiopia’s broader strategy to advance local manufacturing capabilities in strategic sectors and reduce dependency on foreign technology. Abiy praised the ingenuity and skill of the young Ethiopian engineers and professionals who contributed to the design and production of the UAVs.
He also noted that sustaining this momentum will require further investments in research and development, expansion of domestic production of intelligent sensor technologies, and creating a market for locally produced systems.
Importantly, Abiy highlighted that Ethiopia is now capable not only of manufacturing and deploying drones within its borders, but also of exporting them—a development that positions the country as an emerging player in the global UAV industry.
