What makes Saudi Arabia the ideal location to host World Defence Show 2024?

The second edition of the prominent World Defence Show kicked off in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Sunday, attracting significant participation from more than 773 exhibitors across 75 countries. It is scheduled to run until February 8, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

Government entities and leading local and international defence and security companies are actively participating in the event, that serves as an important platform for industry experts, manufacturers and decision makers to connect and shape the future of the sector.

Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and on behalf of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, I was honored to inaugurate @WDS_KSA, an event that reflects the leadership’s strong commitment to developing our military industries and national capabilities. pic.twitter.com/M6Q1cdBQwJ

— Khalid bin Salman خالد بن سلمان (@kbsalsaud) February 4, 2024

Sector projected to bring SAR 93.75 billion to the GDP

The World Defence Show creates an ideal environment for nurturing international partnerships in the defence and security industry. The event comes as the sector is projected to contribute nearly SAR 93.75 billion to the GDP by 2030.

Held over five days, it is an exhibition that features defence companies from every sector and tier of the industry with an abundance of show features, all designed to deliver best-in-class events that connect you with the international defence community.

Saudi Arabia’s geographic location and international presence allow the Gulf state to serve as an ideal location for such an event, as per the official website. The Future of Defence theme will be woven across all show features, delivering ideas and inspiring conversations.

Find all the #WDS2024 information and programs at your fingertips for the ultimate show experience with the WDS App.

Download Today on the:
Appstore: https://t.co/jxb0BCZ6tT
Google Play: https://t.co/2HVbrvkXY5#EquippedForTomorrow pic.twitter.com/8zf0gXKtex

— World Defense Show معرض الدفاع العالمي (@WDS_KSA) January 27, 2024

Global defence landscape marking major transformations

The World Defence Show 2024 has kicked off against a backdrop of the global defence landscape marking significant transformations and leveraging cutting-edge technologies to strengthen capabilities, including the use of AI, robotics and machine learning.

The second edition of the event builds on the achievements of the inaugural edition in 2022, positioning the exhibition as a strategic tool to support the nation’s localisation efforts. The sector is estimated to create 40,000 direct job opportunities and 60,000 indirect ones.

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