First CAFS / GICAN-GICAT Joint Meeting on the Defense Sector

The Saudi French Business Council (CAFS) and the Middle-East CLub of GICAN/GICAT organised their first joint meeting on the defense sector on 28th May 2024, at the Federation of Saudi Chambers.

The CAFS was represented by its Vice-Presidents, Eng. Faiz AlElweet and Eng. Soufyan AlKabbani.

GICAT and GICAN, federations of French defense and security companies (land, airland and sea), have been operating in Saudi Arabia since February 2024, during the World Defense Show. GICAT, with 480 member companies, and GICAN, with 260 member companies, are the representatives of French companies in the sector, facilitators for French companies to develop partnership opportunities with local public and private players, and organizers of Eurosatory and Euronaval, which take place this year in France.

A total of 55 persons participated in the meeting: 28 members of the CAFS and of the GICAN/GICAT participated in person at the Federation of Saudi Chambers, and 27 members of the GICAN/GICAT’s Middle East Club attended the meeting online.

This meeting gave way to the following program:

Welcoming speech, by Eng. Faiz AlElweet, Vice-President of the CAFS
Welcoming notes, by Mr. Rayan Hacini, Representative of GICAN/GICAT in Saudi Arabia
Presentation of the GICAN, by Mr. Arnaud Martins da Torre, Head of International Affairs and Export Services at GICAN
Presentation of the GICAT, by Mr. Théo Geandreau, Head of International Affairs and Export Services at GICAT
Presentation of the Saudi legal framework for companies in the defense sector, by Mr. Wissam Hachem, Partner at BLK Partners
Presentation of Eurosatory trade show 2024, which will take place in Paris from 17 to 24 June 2024, by COGES
Introduction and sharing of experience by French and Saudi companies participating in the meeting

The following companies members of the CAFS participated in the meeting: