Embassy Activities
IDEF 2023
16th International Defence Industry Fair - IDEF 2023
South Africa attended the 16th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) with a National Pavilion, including 13 companies in defence sector, took place in Istanbul, Türkiye.
The Defence Fair began on 25 July 2023 with a grand opening ceremony. Present at the ceremony were Ministers, senior Defence personnel, and representatives from various nations and industries. The IDEF, one of the largest global defence events, which will continue until Friday, 28 July 2023, is exhibiting a range of defence products including land vehicles, weapons, simulators, radars, sonars, naval platform solutions, aviation systems, missiles, logistic vehicles, supply equipment, and security systems.
Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye, H.E. Cevdet Yilmaz addressed in the opening ceremony of 16th International Defence Industry Fair in Istanbul. H.E. Cevdet Yilmaz stated that Türkiye eyes its defence exports will soon exceed $10 billion, and added that the Turkish defence exports totalled $2.4 billion in the first half of 2023, and are expected to reach $6 billion by the end of the year.
The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans H.E. Thandi Modise together with the Chief of the South African National Defence Force, General Rudzani Maphwanya, attended IDEF 2023. The South African Ambassador H.E. Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba and Defence Attaché Captain Ivan John Afrikander accompanied them during their visit to the South African National Pavillion.
Organised by the Turkish Ministry of National Defence, and hosting numerous Turkish and foreign defence industry technologies, the IDEF is among the 4 biggest defence industry fairs in the world, with more than 1200 international defence industry companies from 53 countries, including South Africa exhibiting their products.
Following the completion of the ceremony, H.E. Minister Thandi Modise and General Rudzani Maphwanya, along with the South African Ambassador to Türkiye, Her Excellency Ms Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, then went on to inspect the different pavilions, with Armscor exhibiting more than 15 stalls from South African Defence firms, being of interest.
Photographs by Defence Corporate Communication, SA Soldier Magazine and by South African Embassy Ankara
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