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Interview with Brig. Dr. (Eng) Thani A. Al-Kuwari, Chairman of DIMDEX 2016

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DIMDEX 2016 Show Daily - Interview with Brig. Dr. (Eng) Thani A. Al-Kuwari
 
 
 
Interview with Brig. Dr. (Eng) Thani A. Al-Kuwari, Chairman of DIMDEX 2016
 
With two weeks to go before the start of DIMDEX 2016, the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference Navy Recognition interviews Brig. Dr. (Eng) Thani A. Al-Kuwari, Chairman of the event which will be held from 29 to 31 March 2016 at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha.
     
With two weeks to go before the start of DIMDEX 2016, the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference Navy Recognition interviews Brig. Dr. (Eng) Thani A. Al-Kuwari, Chairman of the event which will be held from 29 to 31 March 2016 at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha.
Brig. Dr. (Eng) Thani A. Al-Kuwari
Navy Recognition (NR) - With two weeks to go until the start of DIMDEX 2016, how is the preparation going?
Brig. Dr. (Eng) Thani A. Al-Kuwari, Chairman of DIMDEX (Brig. Al-Kuwari): For an event of DIMDEX’s size and scope, preparations begin well in advance and we have witnessed unprecedented levels of interest being shown by exhibitors since our official public launch during Turkey’s IDEF in May last year.

With two weeks to go, we are pleased to report that our final preparations are going to plan and we are on course for a historically successful event in every respect. As part of these final preparations, the Qatar Armed Forces held a briefing session in February for ambassadors, defence attachés and the media in Doha. Attendees gained an update and overview on the different components of DIMDEX 2016: the exhibition; Middle East Naval Commanders Conference (MENC); VIP delegations, and the visit of warships, with detailed organisational information provided for the smooth participation of delegates.
     
With two weeks to go before the start of DIMDEX 2016, the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference Navy Recognition interviews Brig. Dr. (Eng) Thani A. Al-Kuwari, Chairman of the event which will be held from 29 to 31 March 2016 at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha.
     
NR - How big will DIMDEX be this year in terms of space, exhibitors and visitors?
Brig. Al-Kuwari - DIMDEX is the largest specialised naval defence and maritime security exhibition in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and 2016 will see an expansion in exhibition space at the Qatar National Convention Centre to 25,000 m2 and over 9,000 maritime, security and defence industry related visitors are expected.

In terms of exhibitors, we are pleased to see the return of global defence industry giants to the show, as well as the participation of local exhibitors who have a notably increased presence this year. Over fifty countries will be represented at DIMDEX 2016, with twelve having their own dedicated national pavilions, with the largest being Turkey followed by the US.

NR - What is new for the 5th edition of DIMDEX?
Brig. Al-Kuwari - DIMDEX 2016 is a special year in the history of the show, as it is the first to be organised by the Qatar Armed Forces, who are also hosting the event as with previous editions. This is a reflection of the growing prestige of DIMDEX and it is also beneficial for exhibitors as there is now a direct relationship between sellers (exhibitors) and buyer (Qatar Armed Forces), helping exhibitors to maximise their chances of trade deals.

DIMDEX 2016 has also increased in scope to accommodate the latest advanced technologies in maritime security. New defence industries will be represented at DIMDEX 2016 for the first time including maritime aviation, naval base security, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), maritime patrol aircrafts and coastal surveillance systems.
     
With two weeks to go before the start of DIMDEX 2016, the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference Navy Recognition interviews Brig. Dr. (Eng) Thani A. Al-Kuwari, Chairman of the event which will be held from 29 to 31 March 2016 at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha.
     
NR - Can you give us the list of warships that will be visiting DIMDEX this year?
Brig. Al-Kuwari - We are not able to provide details of the warships attending DIMDEX 2016 this far in advance, but we can confirm warships of different classes including frigates, corvettes and minesweepers will dock at Doha Commercial Port as in previous editions of DIMDEX and be open to visitors.

NR - What can you tell us about the Middle East Naval Commanders’ Conference (MENC)?
Brig. Al-Kuwari - MENC is a major component of DIMDEX and this year speakers from both military and academic backgrounds will come together to offer a comprehensive insight into the key factors currently influencing maritime security in the region.

The theme of MENC 2016 is: “The Maritime Domain – The Centre of Gravity for the Regional Security Complex of the Arabian Gulf.”The sea connects all states along the coast of the Arabian Gulf and the conference will explore a diverse range of topics related to its security, not just from a military point of view, but also in terms of energy security, freedom of navigation around maritime choking points, and environmental security.
The combination of critically strategic subject-matter, expert speakers and senior military officers in the audience means that MENC serves as a credible forum for sharing the challenges we face in this geo-strategic region and the conference acts as Qatar’s platform for thought leadership in international maritime defence policy and practice.

Make sure to visit Navy Recognition during DIMDEX from March 29 to 31. Our team will bring you all the news and pictures from the event with our Online Show Daily.
     

Navy Recognition has been appointed as DIMDEX 2016 official Online Show Daily