United Arab Emirates: a very special edition of the arms fair comes to an end
At the Abu Dhabi International Defense Fair on February 22, 2021. REUTERS - KHUSHNUM BHANDARI
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
In Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, it is a very special edition of the Idex which just closed its doors this Thursday, at the end of the afternoon.
The largest arms fair in the Middle East is one of the few in the world to have been maintained.
An opportunity therefore for the global defense industry to present its novelties and to sign new contracts.
Such a symbolic event with the first participation of Israel, a direct consequence of the normalization between the Hebrew state and the Gulf monarchy.
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With our correspondent in Abu Dhabi,
Nicolas keraudren
Despite the current health situation, the aisles of Idex in Abu Dhabi were full.
For the
French defense industry
, the holding of this event was essential.
As Benjamin Fafart, commercial director of Teleflow, a subsidiary of the Michelin group, explains: “
It is imperative for the survival of our industry to be present at this show.
"
A point of view shared by Marin Tollet of the Arquus group, specializing in military vehicles.
“
This is the first show to be held from Milipol Paris in November 2019,” he
underlines.
It has therefore been a very long time since we had the opportunity to reconnect with customers and with our industrial partners.
"
The participation of French companies in this show has also been encouraged at the highest level.
“
We noted a great deal of help that was provided to us by state services.
The Minister of Defense herself made the trip.
A presence that was extremely appreciated,
”continues Marin Tollet.
This fair was therefore also a political meeting.
Also of note is Israel's first participation.
“
The main message of our presence here is that we are able to cooperate,”
observes Eitan Na'eh, the new charge d'affaires of the Hebrew state in Abu Dhabi.
And I think we can learn from each other.
We are therefore ready for cooperation in all sectors.
"
With a big drawback, however.
The Israeli delegation had to cancel their trip due to Covid.
New record for global military spending
This is a new record for global military spending in 2020 despite the health and economic crisis linked to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Figures from the annual report published this Thursday morning from IISS, the British International Institute for Strategic Studies.
For the whole of 2020, world military spending amounted to $ 1,830 billion.
This figure is up 3.9% compared to 2019, which was already a record year.
Americans spent $ 738 billion, or 40% of global spending.
China is in second place with $ 193 billion, or 10.5% of total spending.
Beijing has concentrated its military spending in the navy in order to increase its fleet.
A strategy that affirms its territorial claims in the South China Sea.
A response to
American operations
in this sector, a place of friction with Washington.
In Europe, defense spending is also up + 2% in 2020 to deal with Russia in particular, considered a growing threat since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
This trend will continue in 2021, despite the pandemic.
The UK, Germany and Italy have announced an increase in their defense budget.
The orientation is the same for France.
In its finance law, the French executive recorded an increase of 1.7 billion euros, reaching a total of 39 billion euros in military spending.
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United Arab Emirates
Defense
United States
China
France
Israel