Egypt’s President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, launched on Monday the country’s first international and regional defence exhibition, Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX), with the attendance of the defence ministries of 10 countries including France, Greece, the UAE, Oman, Sudan, Cyprus, and Cameron.
Egypt’s Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly, the Minister of Military Production, Mohamed Al-Assar, General Mohamed Zaki, Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and the Minister of Defence and other top country officials attended the opening ceremony.
The ceremony included the screening of a film produced by the army’s Department of Morale Affairs dubbed Egypt: Power and Peace. The exhibition shall last from 3 to 5 December.
A delegation of the US embassy in Cairo included Chargé d’Affaires Thomas Goldberger; Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Defence Exports and Cooperation Ann Cataldo; Defence Security Cooperation Agency Principal Director Michele Hizon; Director of the Department of Commerce’s Advocacy Center Stephen Renna, and Senior US Defence Official in Egypt Major General Ralph Groover attended the exhibition.
In a statement, the US mission to Egypt congratulated Cairo on the EDEX and warmly welcomed the over 40 American companies and organisations participating in “this important event.”
The embassy added that many of “the US exhibitors are represented by senior officials from their headquarters,” noting that “American companies offer the most technologically advanced defence solutions in the world.”
Meanwhile, UK Trade Envoy, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and Defence Senior Advisor for Middle East (DSAME) Lt Gen Sir John Lorimer, also arrived in Cairo, along with a trade delegation, to discuss further growth in economic and security cooperation topics, the British embassy said.
The high-level visitors attended the EDEX organised by the UK event’s organiser, Clarion events, which will include over 20 British companies from security and defence fields.
“Egypt is a country of vital strategic importance in the region and Egypt’s future is extremely important to the UK. I am delighted to be back in Egypt, with a delegation of leading British companies focusing on education, as well as over twenty British companies participating in Egypt’s first defence expo to support this country, as it works to realise its development goals,” UK Trade Envoy Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said.
The EDEX, the first of its kind in Egypt, North and Central Africa, hosts more than 300 exhibitors who showcase the latest technology, equipment, and defence systems on land, sea, and air. Additionally, over10,000 industry visitors are expected to attend the event.
The exhibitors will include around 28 Chinese companies, French companies, and nearly 13 Russian companies working in weapons manufacturing. The exhibition will also provide special pavilions for the most advanced countries in the field of weapons manufacturing, such as the US, China, France, Germany, and Italy.
The three days of the exhibition will witness heavy equipment offerings, such as tanks and military vehicles, as well as small arms and light weapons.
