Jordan Times
Friday, January 11, 2008
SOFEX 2008 opens March
31
AMMAN (JT) - SOFEX 2008, the seventh edition of the special operations and
homeland security exhibition and conference will take place from March 31 until
April 3 at the King Abdullah I Airbase in Marka.
The event, held under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah, seeks to bring
together a host of different expertise, capabilities, and specialisations with
the aim of providing governments with the means to deliver swift, decisive and
effective solutions to maintain the security and safety of their citizens,
according to a statement from organisers.
SOFEX 2008 planners are expecting to surpass the record number of 7,500 visitors
that attended SOFEX 2006, with international exhibitors and official military
and governmental delegations expected from over 55 countries.
SOFEX Managing Director Amer Tabbah said the event had “firmly established
itself as one of the most important events on the defence industry calendar for
doing business and forging solid partnerships among market leaders and industry
specialists in homeland security.”
“SOFEX 2008 will expand in size from the previous edition, and broaden its
facilities to attract and cater for yet a greater anticipated number of
participants and visitors,” he added.
The four-day event will commence with a one-day conference programme,
encompassing a series of comprehensive and topical seminars delivered by key
military officials and defence manufacturers from around the world, who will
tackle a wide range of issues pertinent to current counterterrorism and homeland
security issues.
Discussions among professionals and experts from around the world will analyse
current special operations requirements and the rapidly changing global security
threats of the world today, the statement said.
Official delegations of governments and defence forces from around the region,
as well as high-ranking Arab and international officials will attend the
conference, which will be followed by a comprehensive exhibition of the
up-to-date special operations equipment and technology, designed to provide
Jordanian, regional and international companies with the opportunity to
participate and display their know-how and state-of-the-art technologies,
tactics and equipment to their key target audiences.
The products on display will consist of the latest defence industry equipment,
including military gear for special operations forces units and the imaging and
satellite communication technologies.
Exhibitors from Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Iraq, Italy,
Jordan, Lebanon, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, South
Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the UAE, the UK and the US are
expected to have a substantial presence at this year’s edition, according to the
statement.
The seventh edition of the SOFEX series, which is held biennially, will be
launched by King Abdullah and supported by the Jordan Armed Forces and security
units.