Ghana will in three months’ time host an international defence exhibition and conference that will focus on West African defence spending.
The organisers, Great Minds Event Management, said the Ghana Armed Forces will host more than 600 international and regional defence delegates at the first International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEC) that will take place in the country’s capital city Accra on 11 and 12 October, with the aim to strengthen international and regional cooperation to combat terrorism and organised crimes.
The two-day international exhibition and conference to be held at the Burma Hall within the Ghana Armed Forces Headquarters in Accra will bring international defence equipment manufacturers, technology providers, procurement officials as well as other industry stakeholders, the organisers said.
“Hosted by Ghana Armed Forces, the two-day defence exhibition and conference will strengthen international collaboration to combat terrorism and transnational crimes, boost defence capabilities and strengthen cross-border cooperation between West African countries.”
Welcoming the regional and international defence delegates, Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, Chief of the Defence Staff, Ghana, said, “As you may be aware, global peace and security continue to deteriorate amid the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and the current Russia-Ukraine crisis. These events have had a significant impact on livelihoods and human security, particularly on the African continent.
“The West African sub region in particular is currently experiencing a surge in activities by armed groups. I am happy to note that several steps have been taken to deal with these threats. However, a lot remains to be done, that is why I…wish to invite you to the maiden International Defence Exhibition and Conference…under the theme Strengthening International Collaboration to Combat Terrorism and Transnational Organised Crimes.”
He called on all stakeholders in academia, media, industry, defence and other government security apparatus as well as the international community to converge in Accra to find practical solutions to the litany of security challenges facing the region and beyond.
“At stake is the safety and security of 422 million people of West Africa with a combined GDP of $659 billion. The rising cost of terrorism in Africa prompting the governments to not only upgrade the security capabilities of each country, but also to increase cross-border security cooperation,” he said.
The two-day event aims to assemble Africa’s Defence Chiefs of Staff and senior officers and executives from security agencies and global partners and advanced solution providers to improve combined combat operations and regional development initiatives.
The event is expected to be attended by more than five chiefs of defence staff, eight ministers and secretaries of defence, six chiefs of army, navy and air forces, 40 VIP speakers, and 60 sponsors and exhibitors.
Some of the main themes of the IDEC conference, include terrorism and counter-terrorism, transnational organised crime, maritime security, cybercrime, advancements in surveillance and monitoring and border security.
The IDEC will take place weeks after one of the largest defence exhibitions in Africa: the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) show in Pretoria, which runs from 21 to 25 September.
Ghana has previously hosted the International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference (IMDEC). The last edition, which took place in July 2021, focussed on piracy, smuggling and trafficking, amongst others. The next edition of IMDEC is scheduled for July 2023.
