A strategic opening under royal patronage
On behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defense, inaugurated the third edition of the World Defense Show 2024 in Riyadh. Organized by the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), this leading global platform brings together defense and security industry leaders from around the world and will continue until February 12.
Upon His Highness the Minister of Defense’s arrival at the exhibition venue, he was received by a number of senior officials, headed by His Excellency the Governor of the General Authority for Military Industries, Engineer Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Ohali, Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, and Assistant Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs, Dr. Khalid bin Hussein Al-Bayari.
General context and the Kingdom's Vision 2030
The launch of the World Defence Exhibition comes amidst the major transformations taking place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the national economy and reduce dependence on oil. The military industries sector is a key pillar of this vision, with the Kingdom aiming to localize more than 50% of its military spending by 2030. The exhibition, first held in 2022, has become a strategic tool for achieving this goal by providing an ideal environment for forging international partnerships, transferring technology, and attracting high-quality investments to the Saudi market.
In his opening remarks, Engineer Ahmed Al-Ouhali emphasized the unlimited support that the defense industries sector receives from the wise leadership, noting that the exhibition has become a strategic platform that brings together major manufacturers, innovators and investors, reflecting the development that the Kingdom is experiencing in all fields.
The importance of the event and its international impact
The World Defence Exhibition (WDE) is gaining significant importance on local, regional, and international levels. Locally, it contributes to accelerating the localization of military industries, creating thousands of high-quality jobs for Saudi youth, and enhancing local content. Regionally, it solidifies the Kingdom's position as a leading defense industry hub in the Middle East. Internationally, the exhibition attracts broad participation from major global companies and official delegations, with this edition featuring more than 750 exhibitors from approximately 45 countries, making it a global platform for exchanging expertise and learning about the latest technologies and innovations in land, sea, air, space, and cybersecurity defense.
Tours and launch of strategic agreements
Following the opening ceremony, His Royal Highness the Minister of Defense toured the exhibition halls, visiting the pavilions of major national and international companies. The tour included the inauguration of the Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) pavilion, where its latest products and projects were showcased, such as the "HIT" armored vehicle project. His Royal Highness also witnessed the signing of several memoranda of understanding and strategic agreements aimed at strengthening international cooperation in defense fields, most notably:
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Saudi Defense Development Authority and the Korean Defense Development Agency in the field of research and development.
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Saudi Ministry of Defense and its Slovak counterpart for cooperation in the field of defense.
- A cooperation agreement with the Malaysian Ministry of Defense and another with the Ministry of Defense of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
This large international presence and the signed agreements confirm the global confidence in the Kingdom’s vision and its ability to organize world-class events, and reinforce its role as a reliable partner in achieving international security and stability.
