Organised by Jane's on behalf of Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC), the conference will feature local and international industry experts and analysts.  IDEX is one of the world's largest defence shows running from 22 - 26 February 2009 under the patronage of HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

"As stark, new Gulf security challenges have emerged lately, so too have older threats resurfaced.  Recent strategic debate has emphasised the urgent need for change and for fresh approaches to enduring problems.  The 2009 Gulf Defence Conference is designed to examine some of these newly identified issues while also taking a fresh look at some of the more intractable challenges," Lynne Samuel, Head of Corporate Events, Jane's.

The Conference will open with an examination of the spectrum of potential emerging threats identified by international experts. This will include a look at the impact of technology, military and non-military threats to security including the impact of oil price fluctuations and the economic downturn, climate change and growing water scarcity, challenges of piracy and the strategic implications of international organised crime.

The GDC will be chaired by Peter Varnish, a leading UK based industry expert.

The Gulf security section of the programme will contain high level international speakers including  Rear Admiral Chris Parry, Former Director General, Development Concepts and Doctrine Centre, UK Ministry of Defence; Mr. Ahmad Al-Oustaz, Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan, Commander in Chief, Dubai Police; H.E. Minsiter Hanif Atmar, Minister of the Interior, Government of Afghanistan, Maleek Naveed, Inspector General of Police, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan and Guy Anderson, Editor, Jane's Industry Quarterly.

In the next session, Hassan Fattah, Deputy Editor, The National; Professor Phil Taylor, Professor of International Communications, University of Leeds, UK and, a speaker from the UAE's Critical National Infrastructure Authority will take a closer look at the latest trends in international terrorism, with particular consideration of its impact in the Gulf region and the differing approaches to implementing improved homeland security.

Finally, as the development of nuclear energy programmes continues across the Gulf and the wider Middle East, the conference will examine the potential security hazards this creates, including specific responses to possible nuclear accidents.  This session will include an address by Mark Fitzpatrick, Senior Fellow for Non-Proliferation, International Institute for Strategic Studies, UK followed by a presentation by a senior official at IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).

 "Over successive editions, the GDC has been an essential conference for professionals seeking to understand today's fast changing defence and security environment.  The 2009 conference comes at a point where the world faces an evolving security environment and we are very pleased that, yet again, the range and relevance of topics as well as the quality of speakers at this event is of the highest level," said Mohamed Al Mashgouni, IDEX 2009 Show Director.

The previous edition of the Gulf Defence Conference held at IDEX 2007 attracted over 450 delegates.

IDEX Media Contact: 
Brian Carvalho / Ammar Althuwaini
Asda'a - Burson Marsteller 
Tel:      +971 2 6334133 
Fax:     +971 2 6334137 
Email: b.carvalho@asdaa.com / a.althuwaini@asdaa.com 
Website: http://www.idexuae.ae/

Gulf Defence Conference Media Contact:
Mandy Castle
Jane's PR Manager                                                    
Tel:      +44 208 700 3745                                                                   
Email:  amanda.castle@janes.com