PM to inaugurate Milipol Qatar today

Major General Sheikh Nasser bin Fahd al-Thani, second left, announcing schedules of Milipol Qatar 2014 as Brigadier General Al-Jaleel, Brigadier Saud al-Shafi and Director of Exhibitions Muriel Kafantaris look on. PICTURE: Jayaram

By Ramesh Mathew/Staff Reporter

Milipol Qatar has brought considerable improvement to the overall quality of equipment and applications in use in the internal security of the State of Qatar and other countries in the neighbourhood, organisers of the three-day event said yesterday.

The Prime Minister HE Sheikh Abdulla bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani will inaugurate the exposition at the Doha Exhibition Centre, at 10am today.

Firms and institutions from 36 countries are participating in the exposition.

Major General Sheikh Nasser bin Fahd bin al-Thani, chairman, Milipol Qatar Organising Committee, said the increasing participation of firms and institutions from all over the world had showed their growing confidence in the event.

“Since the event began in 1996 there had been an increase in the number of participants in each edition,” he said.

Major General Sheikh Nasser said there has been a 7% increase in the number of participants in this year’s exhibition compared to the previous edition in 2012.

There were 244 participants in the last edition while the numbers have grown to 261 this year.

There will be six international pavilions, including two from new entrant countries - Italy and the UK. The other major pavilions will be of Brazil, France, North America and Germany-Austria.

Similarly companies from six more countries - Romania, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Cyprus, Belgium and Taiwan - are exhibiting their products.

The largest contingent of 23 companies is from UK while the largest pavilion is of North America - 231sqm.

Compared to the previous edition, there is a 12% growth in the size of the exhibition venue. “This has happened only because of the increasing number of participants,” said Major General Sheikh Nasser.

The local institutional partners of the exhibition are Ministry of Interior’s IT department, Coast Guard and Qatar Internal Security Force.

Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros is the main sponsor of the three-day event. Other sponsors include Qatar Petroleum, Multi Services Co, Nexter Systems, Qatar Fuels, Qatari Diar, Milaha, Hemaya Security Services, Qatar Tourism Authority, Qatar Airways and Salaam Technology.

Besides Sheikh Nasser, Exhibition Director Muriel Jafarntaris, Director of Finance at MoI Brigadier General Ahmed al-Jaleel, and Director of Procurement Department at MoT Bridagier Saud al-Shafi also spoke. A website of the organisers was also launched yesterday.

UK ‘companies looking for more opportunities’

Innovation and partnership are the main themes as UK companies are exhibiting a range of capabilities in the law enforcement and security sectors at the Milipol Qatar exhibition starting today at the Doha Exhibitions Centre.

The exhibits include those on cyber security as well. The significant presence reflects the strong commitment that UK companies have to supporting the Qatari security and cyber sectors, said a British embassy statement in Qatar.

The UK companies are looking for enhancing opportunities in Qatar via industrial partnerships and joint ventures, it said, adding that the country is keen to share its experience in managing large sporting events, including those as recently as the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

The UK has also extensive experience in cyber security and looks to work closely with Qatar in this important and growing sector, the statement said.

The UK team is led by Richard Paniguian, head of UKTI’s Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO), and supported by Richard Freeman, senior police and security adviser in UKTI DSO, who will lead trade opportunities for UK companies. In addition, senior representatives from the College of Policing and the National Offender Management Service will be on the UK pavilion, who will be available to discuss the UK policing and offender management (e.g. prisons and community sentencing).

Stephen Phipson, director of industry engagement at the Home Office, will lead the development of the relationship with Qatar’s Ministry of Interior.

Paniguian said: “Qatar is an important partner and we are continuing to deepen and strengthen our security relationships including the cyber sector where the UK has over the last five years gained extensive experience and knowledge. We welcome every opportunity to discuss challenges and issues faced by both our police forces and security sector.”