EDGE GIFAS Press Release 18 novembre 2021 bparki

Press Release EDGE and GIFAS Ink Deal to Take UAE-Franco Aerospace and Defence Collaboration to New Heights Abu Dhabi-UAE. 18 November 2021 – EDGE, the region’s leading advanced technology group for defence and beyond, today announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques et Spatiales (GIFAS) to establish an environment of collaborative innovation between EDGE Group and French aerospace companies. The MoU was signed during a ceremony at Dubai Airshow 2021 by Reda Nidhakou, Vice President – Strategic Programs & Corporate Development, EDGE, and Bruno du Pradel, Senior Vice President of European & International Affairs, GIFAS - in the presence of Hamad Al Marar, President – Missiles & Weapons, EDGE and Pierre Bourlot, Director General, GIFAS. Under the agreement, the parties will identify areas of potential collaboration across the aerospace and defence sectors to enhance technological capabilities and drive innovation. Reda Nidhakou, Vice President – Strategic Programs & Corporate Development, EDGE, said: “This agreement is a key step towards more knowledge sharing and technology collaborations between EDGE and French-based small and medium enterprises (SMEs). We look forward to working closely with GIFAS to drive an innovative future for the defence and aerospace sectors in both our countries.” He added: “We are targeting specific areas of interest, where we aim to accelerate the identification of SMEs, and explore potential collaborations." Pierre Bourlot said: “Considering the ties between France and the UAE at institutional level, the MoU signed by GIFAS and EDGE aims to foster our industrial cooperation at the level of small and midcap companies by identifying technical areas where our expertise can match with EDGE needs. More than 30 of our members are already based in the UAE, showing that internationalization is playing a key role in our business model which meets the expectations of the UAE in enhancing local capabilities.” Press Contact: Christophe Robin - Communications Director Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 43 17 50 - +33 (0)6 07 51 86 23 - [email protected] -Ends- -- 1 of 2 -- About EDGE EDGE is an advanced technology group established to develop agile, bold and disruptive solutions for defence and beyond. Enabling a secure future, it is dedicated to bringing innovative technologies and services to market with greater speed and efficiency. Consolidating over 25 entities and employing more than 13,000 brilliant minds, it offers expertise across five core clusters: Platforms & Systems, Missiles & Weapons, Cyber Defence, Electronic Warfare & Intelligence and Mission Support. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, EDGE is a catalyst for change – set to revolutionise the industry and change its fundamentals. EDGE is an advanced technology group for defence that ranks among the top 25 military suppliers in the world. For more information, visit edgegroup.ae About The Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques et Spatiales (GIFAS) The French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS) was created in 1908. It is an industry body that brings together more than 400 companies ranging from the main prime contractors and system suppliers to SMEs. They form a cohesive, hard-driving high-technology sector specializing in the design, development and construction, marketing and maintenance of all aeronautical and space programmes and equipment, both civilian and military planes and defence and security systems. GIFAS represents an industry whose 2020 sales turnover was € 52,9 bn, and that exports 81% of its output and, directly employs 194 000 individuals. GIFAS organizes the International Paris Airshow every two years, which is the world’s premier aerospace event. The 54th Paris-Le Bourget Airshow will run from 19 to 25 June 2023. -- 2 of 2 --