Idex organisers expect UAE defence deals to match 2019 levels


Fareed Rahman
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The value of deals the UAE is expected to sign during next week’s International Defence Exhibition and Conference, or Idex, and the Naval Defence & Maritime Security Exhibition, or Navdex, is expected to be similar to those achieved in 2019, organisers said on Monday.

UAE armed forces awarded Dh20.5 billion ($5.58bn) worth of contracts to various local and international companies during the last Idex and Navdex events held two years ago.

International defence companies won 65 per cent of total contracts during the event, while local companies picked up the remainder.

“We are expecting more or less similar and [deals] will be announced based on a decision by a special committee on a daily basis,” said Saeed Al Mansoori, executive director of Capital Events, an Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre group company.

Idex and Navdex will run from Sunday, February 21 until Thursday, February 25, with a record number of exhibitors and participating countries expected to attend, organisers said.

Overall, about 900 exhibitors from more than 50 nations are due to take part in the 2021 event.

The UAE, the US, Saudi Arabia, China and France will have the largest pavilions, according to the organisers. North Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, and Portugal will be participating for the first time.

Israel, which was meant to participate in the event for the first time following its normalisation of ties with the UAE last year, will not take part due to Covid-19 curbs on travel, Reuters reported on Monday citing officials from Israel's Defence Ministry and Regional Co-operation Ministry.

“This [event] marks the commencement of the recovery phase from the Covid-19 pandemic, in spite of the ongoing global conditions,” Maj Gen Staff Pilot Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, chairman of the higher organising committee for Idex and Navdex, said.

“It will demonstrate how Abu Dhabi and the UAE are ready and able to organise, deliver and host leading international events.”

The five-day event takes place as Gulf countries increasingly focus on producing and procuring military equipment locally, signalling a shift in the way they do business with international defence companies.

Technology transfers and commitments to produce and buy equipment locally have become key factors in determining which companies secure global arms orders from the region.

In 2019, the UAE announced the creation of Edge, a defence conglomerate specialised in developing advanced technology for weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.

A number of global defence companies including Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies, Italy's Leonardo, France's Naval Group, South Africa’s Paramount Group and others will take part in the event.

Saudi Arabian Military Industries and other defence companies from the region will also showcase their military equipment.

PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP

Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)

Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)

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How to keep control of your emotions

If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.

Greed

Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.

Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.

Fear

The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.

Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.

Hope

While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.

Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.

Frustration

Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.

Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.

Boredom

Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.

Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.

Citizenship-by-investment programmes

United Kingdom

The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).

All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.

The Caribbean

Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport. 

Portugal

The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.

“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.

Greece

The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.

Spain

The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.

Cyprus

Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.

Malta

The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.

The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.

Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.

Egypt 

A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.

Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties