IDEX and NAVDEX from 19th to 23rd Feb. set to witness over 1,200 specialised local and international companies

WAM -- The 13th edition of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2017) and the fourth edition of the Naval Defence Exhibition (NAVDEX 2017) are set to draw the participation of 1,235 specialised local and international companies in the defence industry.

This represents a three per cent growth compared to 2015, when 1,200 companies attended.

Organised under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the parallel biennial events will run at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from 19th to 23rd February 2017.

Staff Major General Pilot Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee of IDEX 2017 and NAVDEX 2017, made the announcement today at a press conference at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Also headlining the conference were Major-General Staff Pilot Ishaq Saleh Al Balushi, Deputy-Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee of IDEX 2017 and NAVDEX 2017, Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Group CEO of Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC), and Saeed Al Mansouri, Director of IDEX 2017 and NAVDEX 2017.

Addressing the press conference, Staff Major General Pilot Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei said: "I extend my sincere gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his patronage of the event that has contributed to its continued success on the regional and international levels. I also thank His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for his sustained support, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for his valuable guidance."

He added: "Since its inception, IDEX has consolidated its status as one of the leading international defence events. It has successfully showcased the pioneering efforts of our wise leadership to strengthen the country's defence sector and enhance its capabilities. Over the next week, Abu Dhabi will be the centre of international attention as IDEX and NAVDEX convene thousands of dignitaries and prominent decision makers from all over the world to participate in the event and its associated activities."

Furthermore, Al Mazrouei said: "Given the scale and importance of the exhibitions, their preparation has required close collaboration among various committees overseeing their planning and execution. This brought together several national organisations from both public and private sectors in a series of regular meetings headed by the UAE Armed Forces and ADNEC. The meetings developed effective action plans and implementation strategies to ensure the success of the events."

"I am confident that this year, IDEX and NAVDEX will be even better than the previous editions, given the overwhelming response they have generated in terms of the number of participants, delegates and defence experts as well as the representation of major international companies;" he added.

He revealed that the first day of the events will host spectacular live demonstrations by military personnel showcasing the capabilities of the UAE’s cutting-edge defence equipment. He thanked the ADNEC management for their tremendous efforts in the preparation of the opening of IDEX and NAVDEX 2017. He also expressed his appreciation for the hard work of all subcommittees under the Higher Organising Committee as well as the national organisations that have worked relentlessly to ensure the success of the event.

For his part, Humaid Al Dhaheri said: "ADNEC has worked closely with the Higher Organising Committee to finalise the preparations for the mega event in a manner befitting the status and reputation of the UAE. This year’s editions of IDEX and NAVDEX are set to be the largest and most remarkable since their inception."

He added: "Since its inaugural edition in 1993, IDEX has grown from strength to strength. We have witnessed a tremendous increase in the number of participants and visitors as well as the exhibition and demonstration area. The first edition 24 years ago hosted only 350 companies from 34 countries, with the total exhibition space not exceeding 12,000 square metres."

Al Dhaheri noted that the number of participating nations has increased to 57 with the addition of 10 new ones this year.

He said: "We are gearing up to welcome over 100,000 visitors from all over the world. The total area dedicated to IDEX and NAVDEX 2017 has expanded to 53,532 square metres, up by five percent compared to the previous edition. We have gained the extra space through delinking the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) from IDEX and turning it into a stand-alone event."

Addressing the topic of NAVDEX, he added: "The fourth edition of NAVDEX has received a strong response from specialised naval defence companies. Since the inaugural event in 2011, the exhibition has experienced solid growth in the number of international participants. This year’s edition is set to host over 99 specialised naval defence companies from 27 countries worldwide, which represent an increase of 17 percent over the number of countries in 2015. The event will showcase live demonstrations of naval vessels at the purpose-built demonstration track within ADNEC’s marine facility and Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi."

IDEX Conference 2017, held ahead of the exhibition on 18 February at the headquarters of the National Archives in Abu Dhabi, will draw the participation of several leading security and defence decision makers and experts from across the world. Themed ’Disrupting Innovation in Defence and Security’, the conference will include three keynote sessions titled Disruptive Emerging Technology and Innovation: A New Military Paradigm, The Next Big Leap in Cyber Defence, and Defence and Security Control / Mitigate Multiple Disruptions.

Expressing his pride at ADNEC’s world-class event space, Al Dhaheri said: "At ADNEC, all our facilities are geared towards hosting various indoor and outdoor events as well as waterborne live demonstrations simultaneously. This allows us to enhance the competitiveness of IDEX and NAVDEX and attract a wide spectrum of exhibitors from the defence sector in the future."

He also revealed that ADNEC has set up a permanent media centre to host press briefings during the event as part of its priority to simplify the task of the media through providing them seamless access to state-of-the-art facilities. Both events are set to host 1,000 local and international media representatives, a 72 per cent increase from the previous edition. Moreover, the company has allocated a dedicated hall for press briefings to announce important agreements and business deals signed during IDEX and NAVDEX 2017.

Thanking ADNEC’s partners for their unlimited support, Al Dhaheri said: "I extend my sincere gratitude to the UAE Armed Forces for their active role in organising this important international event. Furthermore, I thank our strategic partners Emirates Defence Industries Company, Tawazun Holding, Abu Dhabi Ship Building, and all other partners from public and private sectors for their continued support of the event. I also appreciate the efforts of our media partners in ensuring outstanding coverage."

The UAE Armed Forces has invited friendly and brotherly nations through official channels to the upcoming edition of IDEX.

The event is set to draw the attendance of several heads of states, defence ministers, chiefs of armies, representatives of diplomatic missions and military attach?s from different countries.

One thousand two hundred exhibitors and more than 101,000 visitors from across the globe participated in IDEX 2015, with signed deals amounting to well over AED18.3 billion.