With no real prospects in sight locally, the South African defence industry will this year again be looking to the export market to survive with South America one sights are expected to be set on.
Participation for South African companies in this year’s Latin America Aerospace Defence and Security (LAAD) exhibition in Brazil is being facilitated by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
LAAD is, according to Minister Rob Davies media personnel, the most important exhibition for Latin America’s security sector. It is a biennial event staged in Rio de Janeiro where Brazilian and international companies specialising in providing equipment, services and technology for armed forces, police services, Special Forces and corporate security managers showcase what is both new and existing in their product ranges.
Companies in the South African defence and security sector which are “export ready and have been in business for at least two years are encouraged to apply to attend the exhibition” a DTI statement said.
Those qualifying will receive financial support for exhibition space and booth rental as well as freight forwarding of display materials. Additionally, SMMEs and BOEs (black-owned enterprises) will receive air travel assistance up to R17 000 and a daily subsistence allowance of R3 000.
LAAD will open its doors for business on April 2 and close four days later.
If there is sufficient support the DTI will host a South African national pavilion and companies interested in being part of it must ensure applications and supporting documentation reaches the department by January 31. These can be downloaded from the DTI website (www.thedti,gov.za/trade_investment/emia_national_pavilions.jsp).
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