MARRAKECH, 8th October, 2026 (WAM) -- The UAE Pavilion welcomed 1,208 visitors on the opening day of Marrakech Airshow 2026, with seven leading UAE defence entities showcasing their capabilities at the Royal Moroccan Air Force Base during the four-day event held under the patronage of King Mohammed VI.
Supported by the Ministry of Defence and the Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement, and organised by ADNEC Group, a Modon company, the UAE Pavilion brings together national entities including the Ministry of Defence, EDGE Group, Generation 5, Multi Level Group (MLG), Resource Industries, Nation Shield and Al Jundi Journal, under a unified national platform, enabling them to engage directly with international buyers, industry leaders, government representatives and military delegations.
On its opening day, the UAE National Pavilion welcomed official delegations, reflecting strong international interest in the UAE's defence and aerospace industries. The pavilion also attracted significant engagement from senior leaders and representatives across the global defence and security sectors, underscoring the exhibition's role as a leading platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and international cooperation.
Notable visitors to the Pavilion on its opening day included, from the United Arab Emirates, Major General Staff Mohammed Salem Al Hameli, Deputy Commander of the UAE Air Force and Air Defence; and from the Kingdom of Morocco, Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Trade; Abdellatif Loudyi, Minister Delegate for the Administration of National Defence; Lieutenant General Mohammed Berrid, Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces and Commander of the Southern Zone; Rear Admiral Mohamed Tahin, Inspector of the Royal Moroccan Navy; and Major General Mohammed Gadih, Inspector of the Royal Moroccan Air Force.
The Pavilion also hosted 23 meetings between UAE entities, industry leaders and government representatives on the day, exploring opportunities for future collaboration and strengthening international ties between UAE national entities and the international defence and security industry.
Individually, EDGE held five meetings, Generation 5 two, Multi Level Group (MLG) five, and Resource Industries eleven, with international buyers, industry leaders and government representatives.
Capital Events, the event management arm of ADNEC Group, held 15 meetings during the Marrakech Airshow to promote the upcoming editions of the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX), Naval Defence & Maritime Security Exhibition (NAVDEX), and the accompanying International Defence Conference 2027.
Taking place from 25th to 29th January 2027, IDEX and NAVDEX 2027 are set to be the largest editions in the events' history. In addition, 10 meetings were held to promote the Unmanned Systems Exhibition (UMEX) 2028, and nine meetings were held to promote the International Exhibition for National Security and Resilience (ISNR), reflecting the growing international appeal of Abu Dhabi's defence and security event portfolio.
The strong interest generated during the Marrakech Airshow further reinforces the global stature of IDEX, NAVDEX and ISNR, with numerous exhibitors, industry leaders and defence companies expressing their interest in participating in the 2027 editions. The events are expected to welcome a record number of exhibitors and visitors, further strengthening their position among the world's leading defence and security exhibitions.
Held every two years, Marrakech Airshow has grown since its inception in 2008 into Morocco's flagship aerospace event and a reference gathering for the global civil, military and space industries.