His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister today attended Bahrain’s first ever Tri-Service Expo, the Inaugural Bahrain International Defence Exhibition and Conference (BIDEC 2017).

Held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, BIDEC has attracted over 3000 attendees, including high profile military, government and industry figures. The event, which will run until 18 October, will feature 180 international exhibitors from 60 countries showcasing the latest technology, equipment and hardware across land, sea and air.

Alongside the Expo, BIDEC will host the Middle East Military Alliances & Coalitions Conference – a new military forum for dialogue on the importance of international coalitions to addressing global and regional security challenges. The conference will feature delegations from NATO, UN Peacekeeping Operations, The Arab Coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen and the Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism.

In a statement following a tour of BIDEC, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said that BIDEC reflects the Kingdom of Bahrain’s commitment to supporting those strategic alliances that are successfully combatting terrorism across the world, noting the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF)’s proud role supporting the Saudi-led coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen and the international coalition’s campaign against Da’esh. His Royal Highness spoke of the importance of forums such as BIDEC to enhancing political and military cooperation in pursuit of regional stability, as well as advancing military technology capacities.

Upon arrival at the event, HRH was received by HE Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defense Force (BDF), Brigadier HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Commander of the Royal Guard and Chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee of BIDEC, Major HH Shaikh Khaled bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Commander of the Royal Guards’ Special Force and a number of senior officials.

In a statement, His Excellency Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said that BIDEC is testament to the Kingdom’s diversified economy, integrated infrastructure and advanced commercial legislation, as well as the spirit of creativity that characterizes Bahraini society. His Excellency went on to note that Bahrain has long acknowledged the importance of innovation within the military industries sector and BIDEC reflects Bahrain’s commitment to ensuring the Kingdom’s defence capabilities are supported by the most advanced technologies.

In a statement, Brigadier HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa said that the Kingdom of Bahrain has always been a crossroads of civilizations and cultures, as well as a distinguished centre for trade exchanges, and BIDEC is the latest example of that historic role. His Highness noted that in showcasing the latest technologies and providing a forum for international military cooperation, BIDEC is supporting the development of Bahrain’s military industries sector which is central to the Kingdom’s economic diversification programme. His Highness highlighted that the range of international delegations present at BIDEC and the Middle East Military Alliances & Coalitions Conference reflects the strength of relations between Bahrain and its allies

Source: Fana News