Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, has inaugurated the 6th UMEX and SimTEX exhibitions. The exhibitions will take place until 25 January 2024, with participation of 214 companies from 35 countries.
The opening day gathered distinguished attendees, including His Excellency Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Defence Affairs; His Excellency Staff Lieutenant General Engineer Issa Saif bin Ablan Al Mazrouei, Chief of Staff of the UAE Armed Forces; His Excellency Matar Salem Al Dhaheri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defence; His Excellency Major General Khalifa Hareb Al Khaili, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior; and His Excellency Major General Mubarak Saeed Ghafan Al Jabri, Chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee of the exhibitions. Also in attendance were several officials from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defence, as well as members from government and private sectors, diplomatic corps and high-ranking heads of international delegations.
His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, conducted an extensive tour of the exhibition pavilions, during which he was briefed on the most prominent unmanned systems, simulations and training. Various technologies that use artificial intelligence were highlighted, such as drones, autonomous applications, robots, and multiuse systems employed in the defence, civil, trade and medical fields, in addition to the latest innovations in these systems, and the ethical frameworks and standards for their use to aid humans and support sustainable development paths.
His Highness visited several national pavilions, such as the Coding Challenge Competition pavilion of the Ministry of Defence, the International Gold Group (IGG) pavilion, the Callous pavilion, and the Edge Group pavilion, in addition to a visit to the Spanish SDLE NexGen pavilion.
His Highness inaugurated the exhibition, emphasising that through the support of its wise leadership and guidance, the UAE is witnessing growing and continuous development in the national defence industries sector. This support and constant interest in developing the capabilities and competencies of its armed forces reflect the high level of commitment and the vision of its leadership. This strategic vision is represented in the UMEX and SimTEX exhibitions, which showcase innovation and development.
His Highness stated that the UMEX and SimTEX exhibitions strengthen the UAE’s position as a leading country in the fields of defence and security on the regional and international levels. This is achieved through the innovative solutions they offer which promote international security and stability for a brighter and more prosperous future.
The current session of the UMEX and SimTEX exhibitions, which is organised by ADNEC Group in cooperation with UAE Ministry of Defense, and strategic partner EDGE Group, is witnessing an exceptional increase in participation. The exhibition hosted 214 companies, marking an increase of 19 per cent compared to the previous session. The 35 participating countries include 11 new participating countries such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Republic of Singapore, the Netherlands, the Republic of Slovenia, Taiwan, the Republic of Estonia, the Virgin Islands, and the Czech Republic.
The UMEX and SimTEX exhibitions promote and encourage local innovation and business development through the participation of 72 local companies, representing about 34 per cent of the total participating companies. In addition, the total exhibition area in the current session increased by 15 per cent to reach more than 30,000 square meters.
The exhibitions include a wide and diverse range of technical innovations that support the civilian sectors, including transportation, construction, manufacturing, energy and economy. In addition to concluding several deals in the civilian sector, special prizes will be awarded for the best and most useful innovations in each sector.
The exhibition also included the launch of five new initiatives, including live marine and land demonstrations at the main platform of ADNEC and in the Marina ADNEC area. Additionally, live air shows will take place in the Sweihan Hills near Al Ain.
The UMEX Business platform will also be launched, serving as a platform for both civilian and military companies to showcase their latest technologies, products and services, as well as exchange innovative ideas and insights.
The exhibitions provide an opportunity for UAE National programmers to participate in the Coding Challenge organised by the Ministry of Defence, for participants to showcase their skills and capabilities in innovation and creativity in the field of unmanned systems. The challenge also provides an opportunity for exhibitors and specialists to explore the advantages of the leading UMEX NextGen platform dedicated to startups. This platform allows them to connect with top professionals, form strategic partnerships, and access valuable investment opportunities.
