Upcoming Trade Shows Abu Dhabi, UAE for Security

Abu Dhabi has consistently found itself at the heart of UAE’s strategic push towards bolstering its security industry and concentrating military spending into local manufacturing. The city paves the way towards the country’s defense overhaul by serving as host of IDEX, the UAE’s biggest and most influential defense trade show, which facilitates long-term collaboration between the UAE and the rest of the world. Pay attention to each edition and you’ll see emerging trends. The most recent edition saw the announcement that “Made in the UAE” military equipment has become a reality at long last following years of development and testing. Abu Dhabi's defense companies are actively pursuing global markets with a growing emphasis on boosting exports. An exemplar of this international outreach is the €1 billion ($1.06 billion) deal announced by EDGE’s Abu Dhabi Ship Building on the fair’s first day. The agreement entails the supply of three 71-meter corvettes and additional ships to the Angolan navy. There was even more news and insights to be had at the International Defense Conference (IDC), which is a cornerstone of IDEX. In its 2021 edition, the IDC featured 24 international experts and welcomed over 400 on-site visitors. The hybrid nature of the event expanded its reach, attracting an additional 2400 virtual participants from 80 countries. The IDC is a platform for thought leaders, policymakers, influencers, researchers and futurists to collaborate on shared challenges and offer solutions. The conference agenda revolved around four key sessions that all had to do with the advent of AI and digital solutions in the defense sectors. Panels revolved around protecting AI and other 4IR technologies in the age of collaboration and diffusion, and strengthening defense industries’ R&D amid an increasingly complex dynamic context. Conversations circled around creating a holistic view of Cyber Security Resilience during the era of Digital Transformation.