The second edition of the International Defense and Security Exhibition (BAMEX) kicked off on November 9 in Bamako, Mali's capital city. The event, taking place at the Bamako Exhibition Center, has drawn exhibitors and delegations from several countries, including the United States, China, Russia, Germany, Türkiye, Sudan, Niger, and Burkina Faso. This year's theme is "Innovation, Intelligence, and Reactivity: Africa Faced with New Global Security Challenges." The exhibition aims to strengthen international partnerships and contribute to the development of African defense and security capabilities.
According to Harun Saraç, director of BAMEX, the growing international presence at the exhibition demonstrates the event's increasing importance. The goal is to establish Bamako as a platform for meetings between Africa and major global defense industry players. Saraç emphasized that Africa should not only be a continent where defense technologies are used but also a space where they are developed, produced, and strategic partnerships are built. The exhibition will feature not only equipment displays but also technology transfers, investments, and competency development.
The concept of Demo Day, which involves practical demonstrations at Koulikoro, is one of the exhibition's unique features. It will allow delegations to discover and evaluate the performance of certain equipment under operational conditions. Mali's Prime Minister, General Abdoulaye Maïga, presided over the opening ceremony, emphasizing the need for African states to move beyond exclusively reactive responses to evolving security threats. These threats include terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organized crime, illicit trafficking, cyber threats, and disinformation.
General Abdoulaye Maïga highlighted innovation, intelligence, and reactivity as three complementary pillars of a modern defense and security system. He stressed that the acquisition of technologies is not enough; mastery, adaptation to local realities, and human resource training are essential to fully benefit from them. The Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of regional cooperation, citing the Confédération des États du Sahel (AES) and the unified Force of AES, which aims to coordinate efforts against transborder threats.
The Prime Minister expressed Mali's openness to international partnerships, provided they respect the country's sovereignty and strategic choices. He called for the exhibition to be a framework for dialogue and concrete proposals, involving public institutions, universities, research centers, and the private sector. The second edition of BAMEX aims to go beyond a simple exhibition and promote sustainable collaborations between African and international defense actors.
The exhibition, running from November 9 to 13, brings together various stakeholders in the defense and security sector. It provides an opportunity for countries to showcase their equipment, technologies, and capabilities. The event also allows for networking and the exchange of ideas on how to address the complex security challenges facing the African continent.
By hosting BAMEX, Bamako aims to establish itself as a hub for cooperation and exchanges around new responses to the continent's security challenges. The event is expected to contribute to the development of African defense and security capabilities and promote partnerships between African and international actors.
Key points
- The second edition of BAMEX takes place from November 9 to 13 in Bamako, Mali.
- The event has drawn exhibitors and delegations from several countries, including the United States, China, and Russia.
- The theme of this year's exhibition is "Innovation, Intelligence, and Reactivity: Africa Faced with New Global Security Challenges."
