Rosoboronexport, the only state organization in Russia for exporting the entire range of military, dual-use products and services and technologies, is participating at ShieldAfrica 2021 International Security & Defense Exhibition held from 08 to 10 June at Ecole de Police d’Abidjan in Ivory Coast.
“Rosoboronexport is successfully continuing to foster military-technical cooperation with Sub-Saharan African countries, which received a strong impetus during the Russia-Africa Forum in 2019. In 2020 and early 2021 alone, we signed contract documents worth over $1.7 billion in this region and brought the number of countries in Central, Western and Southern Africa in our order portfolio to 17,” said Alexander Mikheev, Director General of Rosoboronexport.
Today, Rosoboronexport is marketing helicopters, air defense systems, naval products, armored vehicles, equipment for law enforcement agencies, airport and critical infrastructure security equipment, small arms, including special weapons, in the region,” he noted.
Rosoboronexport employs the show grounds to hold meetings and negotiations with representatives of law enforcement agencies of the African countries, as well as make presentations of Russian-made products marketed by the company for all services of the armed forces, including police and special units.
Among the products to be promoted are the BTR-80, 80A and 82A armored personnel carriers, AK-100 and AK-200 submachine guns , AK-12 and AK-15 assault rifles and the AK-19, AK-308 rifles. The smart weaponry are represented by the KBP-made Kornet-E and Kornet-EM ATGM.
The core of the Russian pavilion is the full-scale VPK-233316 Tigr special armored vehicle in the Raid configuration, and the Strela light armored vehicle. The machines make their debut at the African continent.
“We will also inform our partners that we have significantly expanded our capabilities and are actively developing the activities related to supply of Russian civilian products. Rosoboronexport, which enjoys high reputation in the government and business circles of African countries, acts as a “Single Window” and guarantor of the correctness and reliability of transactions for both Russian manufacturers and foreign customers,” added Mr. Mikheev.
According to the organizer COGES Africa, despite the particular context of the pandemic, no less than 60 official delegations from 30 countries have registered for ShieldAfrica 2021.
Delegations are made up of Ministers, State Secretaries, Chiefs-of-Staff, Armament Directors, National Security Directors, as well as Heads of Police and Emergency Departments. They are invited by the Ministry of the Interior and Security of Côte d’Ivoire and by the organizer.
More than 80 exhibitors are expected this year from 20 different countries of the continents: African, European, American and Asian.
