Focus on Breadth of Challenge, From Territorial Integrity to Protecting Biodiversity
The ninth iteration of Expodefensa – the international tradeshow addressing defence and security communities in Latin America – will take place in Bogotá, Colombia, from 5-7 December, under the patronage of the Colombian MoD.
As the 22 nations comprising Latin America are influenced by new political dynamics, strategic thought is centring on managing the converging problems they face in managing the territorial, environmental and socio-economic aspects of effective, comprehensive security: territorial protection, border surveillance, organized crime, narcotics trafficking, and environmental threats among them. Faced with such security challenges, will the strategic mission of the armed forces change? What convergence of capability can be forecast in support of reinforced synergies between military forces and civil security? How can conditions be created for stronger global security in Latin America?
Expodefensa will attempt to provide answers to all these issues, by gathering over 11,000 professional participants, including nearly 250 international exhibitors and more than 90 official delegations from 24 countries. As a showcase for multi-domain solutions, Expodefensa will enable governments and security stakeholders to build the conditions for regional security, and to benefit from the opportunities offered by technology, equipment, and lessons learned from recent crises, as well as through exchanges in doctrine and training. The event will feature emerging themes specific to the regional and international political, economic and geostrategic context:
- The space domain, a growing opportunity in terms of regional security and defence;
- The safeguarding of natural resources and protected species as part of the fight against climate change;
- The coordination of decision-making and deployment of resources, as part of crisis response and management.
A spotlight will thus be directed at the issue of new security and defence challenges for the continent, with a focus on: ISR and alerting equipment; space technology; resources to manage all types of crises, up to and including natural and environmental disasters; and methods of protecting wild lands and biodiversity.
