The Higher Organising Committee for the International Defence Exhibition, IDEX 2021, the Naval Defence Exhibition, NAVDEX 2021, and the International Defence Conference has been formed in Abu Dhabi.
Held under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the exhibitions will run from 21st to 25th February, 2021, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
The committee oversees the organisation of both exhibitions and the accompanying conference through several specialised sector-specific sub-committees. The committee looks to ensure the success of these key events, befitting the regional and international stature of the UAE.
IDEX 2021, NAVDEX 2021, and the International Defence Conference are organised by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company, ADNEC, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence and the General Command of the UAE Armed Forces. The events showcase the latest developments in the defence sector.
Both exhibitions anticipate a wide range of decision-makers, sector experts, and industry specialists working in defence. Representatives will discuss how technology adoption can meet shifting global challenges, as well as discussing strategic development that contributes toward world peace.
Major General Staff Pilot Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee for IDEX and NAVDEX, said, "IDEX and NAVDEX are pivotal in developing the UAE’s defence sector and its wider contribution to our national economic development. Over its 27-year-old history, IDEX has become a global platform that showcases the latest industry developments in both defence and military systems. Now, prominent international companies use IDEX and NAVDEX to showcase their most advanced products, using the opportunities of the exhibitions to conclude international deals and partnerships."
Major General Staff Pilot Ishaq Saleh Al-Balushi, Vice Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee for IDEX and NAVDEX, said, "The Higher Committee is coordinating with a wide range of entities in both the public and private sector, in particular ADNEC. We are ensuring that IDEX and NAVDEX 2021 will be organised on schedule, following leading international standards, building on the previous successes of these exhibitions."
Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNEC, said, "At ADNEC, we continue to prepare to host the 15th edition of IDEX and NAVDEX 2021, as well as the International Defence Conference. We are proud to announce we have sold all available exhibition space. We anticipate welcoming over 1,300 companies from the land, air, and marine defence industries, with a growth rate of 271 per cent compared to the inaugural edition of the exhibition in 1993."
Al Dhaheri added, "ADNEC is working closely with a range of authorities, as well as with our partners from the public and private sectors, in addition to our exhibitors, to understand their varied requirements. We can hold this event in February, given our success in implementing precautionary and preventative measures to ensure the safety of all visitors and participants, in line with leading global health and safety standards. IDEX and NAVDEX 2021 will see the resumption of commercial activity, actively supporting the business tourism sector of both the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the UAE."
As ADNEC seeks to transfer global defence expertise locally, IDEX and NAVDEX will be accompanied by the International Defence Conference 2021.
Participants will discuss how to balance innovation and security, understanding how to protect and use technology in the global defence industry, given the rise of artificial intelligence and the fourth industrial revolution, to implement this technology across the global security sector.
The previous edition of IDEX and NAVDEX, that ran over five days, had 124,400 visitors, alongside 1,213 international media representatives from 42 countries. Deals worth AED20 billion were signed during the exhibitions.