Global Investment Summits are pleased to announce the forthcoming African Regional Defence & Security Summit. This inaugural summit will bring together global defence and security leaders and government officials responsible for procuring and specifying advanced systems in a unique meetings based format.

The summit utilises a unique format that places emphasis on the importance of private meetings with senior decision makers, enabling discussions on key themes and the establishment of commercial agreements between governments and commercial operators.

Welcoming senior defence and security officials including ministers, chiefs of staff, military commanders and director generals from African countries, leading NATO countries such as the US, UK and France the summit will provide the essential forum to discuss key themes such as:

█ Regional Security & National Resilience
█ Maritime Security
█ Border Security
█ Counter Terrorism
█ Intelligence Support Systems & surveillance
█ Critical Infrastructure Protection
█ Biometrics
█ Demilitarisation, EoD & EoDT
█ Internet Security & Fraud Prevention
█ Logistics & Material Readiness
█ Telecommunications

Summit Objectives

The focus of this summit is procurement and partnerships, with our unique summit format providing a platform for business leaders to showcase and discuss the best defence, security and communications solutions for the future.

US and European cutting edge technologies will be instrumental going forward in Africa, whether for border protection, counter terrorism, the detection of mines strewn across the continent or halting the current rise in crime in piracy, kidnapping, terrorism, fraud and smuggling.

Unique Summit Format

The summit benefits from a proven event model that combines plenary addresses on key areas with the opportunity for private discussions between attending companies and the various international delegations in attendance.

This format is aimed at ensuring that attending companies have the opportunity to meet with leading stakeholders and demonstrate the important role they have to play in the future of African security and technology, essentially making for a mutually beneficial multi-lateral relations forum:

█ Both mornings will see senior figures outline priority sectors in need of investment and discussing the opportunities that this will present
█ Prior to the summit, confirmed sponsors and delegates will have the opportunity to pre schedule meetings with those individuals, ministries and organisations most relevant to their core business activities
█ The afternoons will see the summit venue converted from a theatre-style format to a series of roundtables, where leading officials will take private consultations with attending contractors and investors
█ Limited sponsorship and branding opportunities will be available to the most suitable global operators

Leading Participants

With debate and discussion on the development and implementation of the most advanced technological solutions for defence and security operations forming the key focus at ASAT, the summit will welcome the Africa’s leading countries at ministerial, senior government and policy level. This will include strong representation from leading African Union countries keen to meet with the attending senior corporate executives from the world’s leading pioneers of defence technology. Furthermore, with the summit held in Nairobi, strong focus will be placed on regional engagement and in forging strong local relationships to guard against potential security threats, with ministers, chiefs of staff, military commanders and director generals welcomed from throughout the region.

In addition to the strong presence from the Africa’s governments and from the international business community, the summit will also welcome policy experts from leading global institutions such as NATO and other leading defence agencies.

Invited attendees include KEY FIGURES IN DEFENCE AND SECURITY FROM GOVERNMENTS ACROSS AFRICA, AFRICOM, THE AFRICAN UNION, UN REPRESENTATIVES INCLUDING UN MINES ACTION SERVICE AND THE INTERPOL REGIONAL BUREAU NAIROBI, INTERPOL OPERATIONAL ASSISTANCE, SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT (OASIS) AND MILITARY PRESENCE FROM THE U.S ARMY AFRICA, U.S NAVY FORCES AFRICA, US MARINE FORCES AFRICA, COMBINED JOINT TASK FORCE - HORN OF AFRICA, US FIFTH FLEET, MARITIME CIVIL AFFAIRS GROUP, TRANS SAHARA COUNTER TERRORISM INITIATIVE AND EASBRICOM.

Other invited parties include POLICE CHIEFS AND COMMISSIONERS FROM ACROSS THE CONTINENT AS WELL AS SECURITY AND CRIME PREVENTION EXPERTS..

These important decision makers and procurement officers will be attending with the intention of addressing the problems faced by the region and working with private sector companies to find solutions and move towards a safer, prosperous Africa.

Who Should Attend?

Leading companies who wish to add their expertise and form partnerships with attending
Governments, Agencies and AFRICOM would gain an unrivalled opportunity to present their ideas
and hold private discussions on how best to find solutions to the challenges presented.
High ranking representatives from the private sector with an interest in doing business in Africa
would find this summit crucial in fostering relationships with key decision makers and procurement
officers. Companies with expertise in the following areas would benefit greatly from attendance and
participation:

Priority Sectors

The following is a selection of sectors identified as high priority to the region. These will make up the basis of the summit, with panel topics for the morning briefings built around them and the afternoon meetings held with the intention of finding solutions.

Regional Security & NationalResilience

Focusing on internal issues faced by countries such as Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Nigeria,Somalia, Sudan and Tanzinia, regional security is a hot topic. Peace and security across the continent is imperative and the necessary steps begin at a regional level. These issues will be discussed and addressed in this topic.

Intelligence Support Systems & Surveillance

Crucial in the fight against terrorism, piracy, smuggling and other dangerous criminal activities, advanced systems similar to those used in the United States and Europe will be at the forefront of all efforts to combat the continents growing
problems.

Maritime Security

Piracy is rife around the Horn of Africa, with the estimated cost to shipping companies operating off the coast of Somalia alone over $100 million perannum. The eyes of the world are fixed on the maritime security issues in the area and urgent action is needed to save businesses, goods and lives.

Border Security

Securing borders is a very high priority. This sector will be discussed in depth, with current legislations, security measures, technology innovations, physical protection,assessment of needs and possible improvements all on the agenda.

Counter Terrorism

Terrorism has been elevated to the foremost threat to global security. Vulnerability to terrorism, as highlighted by the attack on the Togo national football team bus in 2010, has thrust the region into the international spotlight as one of the main theatres of the global anti-terrorist campaign.

Critical Infrastructure Protection

Covering the need to ensure protection of essential utilities such as electricity provision and water supply, as well as the need for suitable protection of transport network infrastructure, incorporating road, rail, air and port and the various advances made in protecting against ever-emerging threats and challenges.

Demilitarisation, EoD and EoDT

It is estimated that there are over 45.5 million landmines scattered across 11 African countries. Casualties are mounting with many mined areas unmarked. Urgent action is needed in detection and disposal.

Many African countries are moving towards biometric systems as a way of identification. The importance of the commercial sector in the development of such technologies, which include fingerprint recognition, facial recognition, iris recognition, hand geometry and large scale matching systems.

Africa faces a huge challenge in regards to internet security, with many scams originating within its borders. Largely unchecked and unregulated, internet usage on the continent is in dire need of monitoring if these problems are to be overcome. Systems and procedures need to be put in place in order to ensure the future of internet trade.

With the world becoming an increasingly digital place, protection against fraud and theft of identification and personal information is of utmost importance. New electronic passports, ID cards and other such documents further highlights the need for stable and reliable systems and solutions in this area.