Abu Dhabi International Offset Conference under way as participants gather from 25 countries

The biennial conference will include participants from the UAE Armed Forces, Ministry Of Defence, international defence contractors and local companies, Tawazun said yesterday.

The Abu Dhabi International Offset Conference (Adioc), an event sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and Tawazun Economic Council, opened in the emirate with more than 450 participants from more than 25 countries exchanging views on offsets programmes.

The biennial conference included participants from the UAE Armed Forces, Ministry Of Defence, international defence contractors and local companies, according to Tawazun.

The Minister of State for Defence Affairs Mohammed Al Bowardi gave the keynote opening speech at the conference, which is in its sixth edition.

“The military manufacturing sector of the Ministry of Defence plays an integral role in supporting defence systems and the UAE Armed Forces while streamlining the UAE’s economic diversification plans,” said Mr Al Bowardi.

“The sector enjoys a prominent part in shaping defence policies and military manufacturing strategies for local industrial companies, supplying armed forces with their equipment needs, technologies, human sources, education and training, as well as with the state-of-the-art local and global defence systems and machines.”

Tawazun Economic Council, which was set up in 1992 and was previously known as UAE Offset Programme, has a mandate to help diversify the UAE’s economy by creating new ventures through partnerships with international defence contractors.

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