It is my pleasure to welcome you all to DIMDEX 2016, the international maritime naval defence and security exhibition that brings the world to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Now in its fifth edition, DIMDEX has grown year on year under the guidance of our patron, His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar to become comparable in size with the largest shows of its type in the world. The continuous expansion of DIMDEX is a reflection of many things. First is the strong support shown by our patron, His Highness the Emir and the Qatar Armed Forces as organisers, to make DIMDEX an event of gravitas, prestige and international prominence. Second, DIMDEX is an event of outstanding quality, which will proudly be held in Doha - one of the region’s leading business hubs. We are delighted to see the repeated return of major defence industry players to the exhibition and elite leaders from many nations amongst the VIP delegations. Third, DIMDEX is a diverse and multi-faceted event comprising of an exhibition, conference, VIP delegations and the visit of a large number of warships to Doha Commercial Port. This means DIMDEX 2016 will again be the perfect place for key decision-makers, experts, vendors and buyers from all over the world to congregate and discuss the latest naval and maritime security solutions. With international attention once again focused on the security of the MENA region, we are optimistic about increased demand for the assets on display at DIMDEX 2016 as the need for sophisticated naval equipment to control and defend the MENA’s offshore waters grows. DIMDEX 2016 is on course to be the largest edition of the show to date in every respect and combined with a buoyant market, we are set for a historically successful event. We look forward to seeing friends old and new in Doha for DIMDEX 2016

His Excellency

Major General Hamad Bin Ali Al-Attiyah

Minister of State for Defence Affairs, Qatar