DOHA, Qatar – Thursday, March 27th, 2014: Held under the patronage of His Highness, The Emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, DIMDEX 2014 exhibition and conference closed today with the announcement of over USD 23 billion in signed agreements between Qatar Armed Forces and over 20 contractors.

DOHA, Qatar – Thursday, March 27th, 2014: Held under the patronage of His Highness, The Emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, DIMDEX 2014 exhibition and conference closed today with the announcement of over USD 23 billion in signed agreements between Qatar Armed Forces and over 20 contractors.

Attended by the Chief of General Staff, Major-General Ghanem bin Shaheen Al-Ghanem, Qatar Armed Forces; various agreements were announced to the total value of 87 billion Qatari Riyals or equivalent to 23 billion US dollars including tanks , artillery, missiles and various types of warships from different countries including USA, France, Germany ,China , Turkey and other countries

 The Qatar National Security Shield (NSS) and Defence Services Marketing Council (DSMC) today also announced the signing of an agreement with the sum of 300,000 Qatari Riyals to hold the very successful annual Qatar Maritime Security – Maritime Reconnaissance and Surveillance Conference in October 2014 under the theme “Maritime Domain Awareness, The Steps to Maritime Security”. The agreement was signed by Staff Brig. (Pilot) Mohammed A. Al-Mannai, Director, Qatar National Security Shield Project and Matthew Cochran, Chairman of Defence Services Marketing Council.

 The Qatar National Security Shield (NSS) and Defence Services Marketing Council (DSMC) today also announced the signing of an agreement with the sum of 300,000 Qatari Riyals to hold the very successful annual Qatar Maritime Security – Maritime Reconnaissance and Surveillance Conference in October 2014 under the theme “Maritime Domain Awareness, The Steps to Maritime Security”. The agreement was signed by Staff Brig. (Pilot) Mohammed A. Al-Mannai, Director, Qatar National Security Shield Project and Matthew Cochran, Chairman of Defence Services Marketing Council.

Further expanding on business relations between Qatar and Turkey, Deputy of Director Logistics Department, Brig. Abdullah Saad Al Kharji, representing the Ministry of Interior for the State of Qatar and Kerim Kalafatoglu, Chairman & Executive Director for ARES Shipyard, signed an initial Memorandum of Understanding with the sum of 200 Million Qatari Riyals to deliver 17 new fast patrol boats within the next 56 months for the Qatar Coast Guard Services. ARES is a specialist composite boat yard, based in Turkey’s free trade zone. 

Brig. Dr. (Eng) Thani A. Al-Kuwari, Assistant Minister of State for Defence Affairs for Financial Affairs and Chairman of DIMDEX said, “DIMDEX 2014 is the best edition to date and we greatly appreciate the support we have received from our sponsors , partners, all related governmental and non-governmental institutions, local media partners as well as international ones  throughout this event. This week has been about building on our existing relationships as well as building new relationships, broadening our knowledge in the advancement of new technologies and establishing partnerships with world’s leading experts in order to better the position of the State of Qatar. We look forward to DIMDEX 2016 and expanding on our successes of this year”

Another highlight of the week was the warship display at the Doha Commercial Port where 21 visiting warships from around the world, including the HMAS Darwin, Commonwealth of Australia, FNS Jean Bart, French Republic and the USS Mesa Verde and USS Roosevelt, from the Unites States of America were on display for DIMDEX attendees to visit. This also included the popular favourite Kilo Class Submarine as part of the Pakistan Navy fleet. 

DIMDEX 2014 include more than 175 exhibitors, over 80 delegations from 53 countries and 20 visiting warships from 12 countries; the exhibitors cover various domains in the Naval and Maritime defence including: Anti-piracy, Diving and Underwater Operations and Vehicles, Maritime Domain Awareness and Technology, Naval Aviation and much more. The exhibition also will showcase international warships and vessels of different classes, including frigates, corvettes, minesweeper as well as the Kilo Class Submarine, berthed at Doha Commercial Port.

DIMDEX has established itself as a leading Naval Defence and Maritime Security exhibition that creates a platform to gather senior representatives from Qatar’s armed forces as well as VIP delegations from the Middle East and around the world.