Angolan defence exhibition on hold

05 September 2013 by defenceWeb

South African defence industry companies planning to exhibit products and services at Angola’s first defence exhibition have been given a breather in terms of preparation time.

FIDES (International Fair of the Defence and Security Industry) was originally set down for November 10 to 13 but has now been postponed.

A spokesman at the Angolan defence attaché’s office in Pretoria today confirmed the exhibition would not take place in November.

“Due to unforeseen circumstances the exhibition will not take place in November,” he said adding a new date had not yet been confirmed but it was expected to be staged early next year.

The delay will in all probability work to the advantage of the South African defence industry which received its official invitation to attend and exhibit via the SA Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association (AMD) on Monday. It will also give AMD executive director Simphiwe Hamilton and his staff more time to work on their submissions to the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) for export funding.

Announcing the exhibition last month, Angolan Defence Minister Candido Pereira dos Santos van Dunem said about 70 companies from five invited countries – Germany, Israel, Italy, Portugal and Spain – would take part. The theme of the exhibition, when it does happen, is expected to be “Peace, Security and Development”.