Iraq Defence & Security Summit 2012

[kurdisnews]

Enormous Success for the Iraq Defence & Security Summit 2012

 

Held on 24 and 25 March 2012, the summit was a big success, the conference venue was crowded and national and international experts had their chance to get together and discuss topics of interest in defense and security concerns. Aviation and air surveillance was one of the most prominent issues on this summit. 2nd summit this year being planned.

 

The Iraq Defence & Security Summit 2012, held at Erbil Rotana, Erbil, Kurdistan on 24-25 March 2012 was an overwhelming success for the organizers. The interest of the participants was that huge that an autumn-summit has already been in the process of planning for 2012, because short after announcement of this conference tickets were already sold out. Participants could feel the success. The Rotana Resort was crowded and one can really physically see the interest in the region and the topic itself.

 

The opening ceremony of the summit was led by Abdul Karim Sultan Sinjari, Minister for the Interior of Kurdistan Region in Iraqi Kurdistan. Then began the proceedings of the first session with speeches of Chairman Jawshin Couric, Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi, Minister of Communications in the central Iraqi government, Sheikh Jafar Mustafa Ali, Minister for Peshmerga Affairs in the provincial government and Anwar Jabali Sabo, the Minister of Transport and Communications of Kurdistan Regional Government.

 

This is in addition to the participation of a number of representatives of foreign countries that possess advanced expertise in security and defense. It is noteworthy that the session topics discussed ways of cooperation between the central and the provincial government as part of updated tools and information that are relevant to the technical aspects of security and informatics.

 

The Iraq Defence & Security Summit 2012 was built around dedicated pre-scheduled meetings between industry leaders and Iraq's defense, security, and communications technology officials. The summit is a critical event that brings together world-class companies who can demonstrate how their technology and problem-solving skills can bring solution to the key defense, security & communications issues concerning the Government of Iraq.

 

A special focus of this summit was aviation and aerial defense for the emerging country. It’s only recently that the Iraqi Air Force has bought 35 F16 fighters to secure the sovereignty and security of the country and its borders. But also other aircrafts are coming more and more into the focus. Of special interest seem helicopters, both from official Iraqi as well as from the industry’s point of view. For example, three representatives of Eurcopter and EADS also attended the summit and mark the vivid international interest. One of the participants on the summit was the rotorcraft, gyroplane and helicopter specialist The 7 Group, represented by its CEO Andi Siebenhofer personally.

 

This company has been on this market for nearly three years and also established a branch in Erbil. It is already renowned for its professional business attitude, reliability as well as aviation success in the region. Mr. Siebenhofer as highly involved westerner, living in Erbil, answered a lot of future-oriented questions and also informed the interested participants of the establishment of the first Kurdish helicopter squad for the Traffic Police. Siebenhofer supplied the Eurocopter helicopters and trained the staff to fulfill their duties at an obviously excellent level, as you can see when strolling around in Erbil. Rumors told that The 7 Group has already acquired two new helicopter projects from the government.

 

Compared to the world’s real GDP growth of some 3.7% that one of Iraq is really impressive: 9.6% in 2011; in real terms! In 2011, Iraq even outperformed China (9.2%) and India (7.8%). Therefore the interest of investors as well as providers of technology is obvious, since this country is offering enormous possibilities at comparable calculable risks when Kurdistan Region is concerned. On the other hand, Kurdistan is in the middle of a geopolitical hot area: Syria on the west and Iran on the east as well as “Iraq” to the south: investments in defense and security seem urgent.

 

 

 

Mustafa L. Ibrahim

Iraqi online News

Baghdad

Iraq