With defence and security spending within GCC countries alone reaching in excess of $300 billion over the last decade, it is clear that a forum is required for contractors, operators and suppliers to engage in bilateral discussions with policy makers from governments and other defence institutions to secure their place in the market.

Held under the patronage of the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence, this inaugural summit is set to be an annual centrepiece on the UAE calendar where defence and security policy makers can meet the best in breed solution and service providers.

The purpose of the summit is to demonstrate how technological advances can offer solutions to today’s key defence and security issues. The summit is built on a meetings-based format whereby policy makers, along with their executive branches responsible for advanced research and development, can meet with technology providers.

Defence and security policy makers have a long history of working with commercial innovators and this summit is designed to strengthen those relationships. Policy goals can be advanced in cooperation with the commercial sector, testing both responsiveness and capacity. Essentially, this is a multi-lateral relations summit with half the time devoted to speeches and the other half devoted to pre-scheduled private meetings.