The Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (Dimdex 2018) yesterday hosted prominent naval commanders, thought-leaders and experts from different parts of the world, at the Middle East Naval Commanders Conference (MENC).
The conference, with the title “Building Capabilities in Challenging Environments through Visionary International Military Co-operation and Defence Engagement,” was held under the auspices of HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah.
The conference offered participating delegates the opportunity to discuss the importance of long-term strategic planning and potential methods of building military and defence capabilities across the Arabian Gulf, and the Arabian and Red Sea.
The conference saw the participation of nine navy commanders as speakers including Italian Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Valter Girardelli, US Central Command’s 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces Commander John C Aquilino, Indian Navy’s Western Naval Command Commander in Chief Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Qatar’s International Military Co-operation Authority head Staff Brigadier (Sea) Tariq al-Obaidli, Professor of International Security and Defence Studies at King’s College, London Dr Andrew Dorman, Commander of French Joint Forces in the Indian Ocean Rear Admiral Didier Piaton, Director General of Operations and Plans Department of the Japanese Naval Defence Rear Admiral Ryo  Sakai; Commander of the Joint Task Force 633 of the Royal Australian Navy Rear Admiral Jaimie C F. Hatcher and head of Policy Department of the Turkish Navy Rear Admiral (LH) Yavuz Kilic.
While opening the conference, Commander of the Qatar Emiri Naval Force, Major General Abdullah bin Hassan al-Sulaiti said, “The MENC offers regional naval leaders an opportunity to exchange strategic international collaboration ideas that determine regional policy and procurement decisions in the
maritime defence industry.”
Staff Brigadier (Sea) al-Obaidli, who is also the panel chairman of MENC 2018 said, “This year’s theme reflects Qatar’s ongoing efforts in becoming a key hub for leading maritime capacity enhancement events and programmes around the world. The MENC provides the dialogue platform for the world’s leading maritime defence and security decision makers to discuss the major factors affecting the prospects for international navies and armies as well as the military and maritime industry in the region, and ultimately reach to additional international collaborations to overcome the challenges facing the region.”

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