Dimdex 2016, the fifth Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference held under the patronage of HH the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, has been officially launched at the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) in Turkey.
Taking place on March 29-31 next year, Dimdex 2016 will be organised and hosted by the Qatar Armed Forces (QAF) and take place at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha.
The Dimdex team attended IDEF as part of a Qatar delegation and made a series of announcements related to the show at a press conference held to formally launch the build-up to Dimdex 2016.
Speaking at the press conference on behalf of Brig Dr Thani A al-Kuwari, assistant minister of State for Defence Affairs for Financial Affairs and chairman of Dimdex, Staff Brigadier (Sea) Abdulbaqi S al-Ansari, Dimdex 2016 deputy chairman, said: “Under the guidance of our patron, HH the Emir and with the Qatar Armed Forces organising Dimdex for the first time, Dimdex 2016 has the very highest backing and support that strengthens Dimdex’s international reputation as a leading maritime and naval defence exhibition and conference.
“Dimdex 2016 will again be the perfect place for key decision-makers, experts, vendors and buyers from all over the world to congregate and discuss the latest naval and maritime security solutions, and the Qatar Armed Forces looks forward to welcoming our guests - both old and new - to Doha in March next year.”
He stressed that Dimdex 2016 has been launched at IDEF as “Turkey has been a continually strong supporter of the show, with IDEF again proving this year to be an excellent platform to foster relationships between Dimdex and the Turkish defence industry”.
The Dimdex team said the 2016 event is on course to be the largest and best edition of the show to date and the Qatar Armed Forces will now organise as well as host the show.
Dimdex’s growth is set to continue with an expected increase in the number of exhibitors and a bigger exhibition space planned for Dimdex 2016, which is also expanding in scope to cover more sectors, including maritime aviation, naval base security, unmanned aerial vehicles, maritime patrol aircraft and coastal surveillance systems, according to a statement.
Dimdex 2016 will follow the format of previous editions, with the exhibition complemented by the Middle East Naval Commanders Conference offering a comprehensive insight into the key factors influencing the maritime defence industry in the region, VIP delegations and the visit of warships.