Sponsoring Organization:

Held under the Joint Presidential Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and His Excellency Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic, the Maritime Security Conference will be held on 25-26 May, 2009, at the Armed Forces Officers Club in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Venue:

Armed Forces Officers Club in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Event Attendance (Government, Industry, etc):

Government

Keynote Speakers:

• Olivier Darrason, Chairman of the Board, Institute of Higher National Defence Studies (IHEDN)
  CEO, CEIS (Compagnie Européenne d'Intelligence Stratégique), France
• H.E. Dr. Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs, UAE
• Michel Miraillet, Under Secretary of Defence for Policy, French Ministry of Defence
• Admiral Luciano Zappata, Italian Navy, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, NATO
• Vice Admiral William Gortney, Commander, US Naval Forces Central Command, United States
• Vice Admiral Gerard Valin, Commander, French Forces in Indian Ocean
• Professor Anthony Cordesman, Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), United States
• Captain George McCarthy? , Head of Outreach and Coordination, Office of Global Maritime Situational Awareness, United States
• And many others

Event Schedule:

May 25

08:00 - 08.55	Pre-conference registration in event area. Refreshments and networking
	Opening Session
	Presidential Addresses
09:00 - 09:10	Welcome address, Riad Kahwaji, CEO, INEGMA
09:10 - 09:30	Presidential Address by His Highness Sheikh Khalifah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE
09:30 - 09:50	Presidential Address by His Excellency Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic
09:50 - 09:55	Exchange of gifts between Host and Guest and Organizers
09:55 - 10:20	Morning coffee break and networking
10:20 - 10:25	First Plenary Session
	Global and Regional Maritime Security Chaired by General (R'td) Suhail Al Marar, Former Commander, UAE Naval Forces
10:25 - 10:45	Global Geopolitical Challenges: A French Vision
	M. Olivier Darrason, Chairman, Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale (IHEDN), France
10:45 - 11.05	The Regional Approach to Strategic Partnerships
	H.E. Dr. Anwar Mohammad Gargash Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs, UAE
11:05 - 11:25	Challenges of Establishing Strategic Partnerships
	Admiral Luciano Zappata, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, NATO
11:25 - 11:45	Panel Discussion
11:45 - 12:15	Networking break, refreshments, and prayers
	Second Plenary Session
	Key Factors of a Maritime Safety and Security Strategy Chaired by General (R'td) Khalid Abdullah Al Buainnan, Former Commander, UAE Air Force and Air Defence, President, INEGMA
12:20 - 12:40	The French Comprehensive Approach
	Michel Miraillet, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, France
12:40 - 13:00	The UAE Vision on Strategic Partnerships
	H.E. Staff Colonel Pilot Sheikh Saeed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Director, Operations and Training, UAE Armed Forces
13:00 - 13:20	Developing a Collective Maritime Security Strategy: Needs & Goals
	Vice Admiral William Gortney, Commander, US Naval Forces Central Command, Commander, Fifth Fleet
13:20 - 13:40	Panel Discussion
13:40 - 15:00	Luncheon and prayers
	First Round of Working Groups
15:00 - 16:30	Threats, Risks and Vulnerabilities (Workshops running parallel)
1. Piracy, Security and Safety of SLOC's
	Moderator: Vice Admiral Gerard Valin, Commander, Frech Forces in the Indian Ocean
	Ms. Anne Sophie Ave, Director General, Armateurs de France, France
	Rear Admiral (R'td) Jacob Schuford, Former President, US Naval War College, United States
	Rear Admiral Phillip Jones, Commander, European Operation Atalante
2. Terrorism and Asymmetric Threats.
	Moderator: Rear Admiral Ibrahim Salem, Deputy Commander, UAE Naval Forces
	Dr. Anthony Cordesman, Burke Chair for Strategic Studies, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), United States
	Rear Admiral Marin Gillier, Commander, Navy Special Forces, France
	Camille Grand, Director, Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique, France
3. Illegal Maritime Activities - Goods & Human Trafficking
	Moderator: Pascal Chaigneau, Director, Centre d'Etudes Diplomatiques et Stratégiques, France
	Vice Admiral Xavier Magne, Maritime and Air Operations, Assistant Chief of Staff, France
	Admiral Head Inspector (CP) Raimondo Pollastrini, Commander, Italian Coast Guard
	Major General Al Mullah, Commander, Kuwait Naval Forces*
4. Pollution, Environmental Disasters, and Preserving Fishing Maritime Resources: International and Regional Challenges.
	Moderator: Jon Hutton, Director, World Evironment Monitoring Centre, United Nations
	Thabit Zahran Al-Abdessalaam, Director, Marine Biodiversity Management, Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, UAE
	Emmanuel Fontaine, Attorney at Law, Oil Maritime Pollution Specialist, France
	Damien Cazé, Director, Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable development and Spatial Planning, France
16:30	Close of first day of conference
20:00	Gala Dinner Reception
	* = The speaker has been formally invited but is yet to confirm participation officially

May 26

07:00 - 08:00	Registration, networking, and morning refreshments
08:00 - 08:10	Third Plenary Session
	Technology and Cooperation
	Chaired by Professor Gilles Kepel, Chairman, Middle East Studies, Sciences-Po Paris, EuroGolf? , France
08:10 - 08:30	Key Factors for Successful Cooperation.
	Jean-Francois Tallec, Secretary General for the Sea, France
08:30 - 08:50	Naval Technological Advances in C4I?
	Major General (R'td) Abdullah Al Hashemi, Former Deputy Commander of UAE Air Force and Air Defense
08:50 - 09:10	Sea-Based Air Defense: The Navy's Role in Missile Defense Network
	H.E. Abdullah Toukan, Non-Resident Scholar, INEGMA
09:10 - 09:30	Panel Discussion
09:30 - 10:00	Morning coffee break and networking
	Second Round of Working Groups
10:00-11.30	"The Need for Cooperation" (Working groups running parallel)
1. Maritime Intelligence (Surveillance and Information Exchange).
	Moderator: Rear Admiral (R'td) John Sigler, Deputy Director, National Defense University, United States
	Mike Coulter, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Secretary of Defense, United States
	Frederic Fave, Director Safety, Security, & Environment Department, CMA-CGM, France
	Professeur Forcade, Professor, Sorbonne University, France
2. New Technologies: Impact on Maritime Challenges - Industrial Implications, Joint Ventures, and Civil Companies
	Moderator: Brigadier General Jacques Roujansky, Head of "Protection and Safeguard" capabilities within the French Defense acquisition organization (DGA), Acquisition Corps, French Forces
	Bill Saltzer, CEO, Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB), UAE
	Vice Admiral (R'td) Xavier Rolin, Corporate Defence Adviser, Thalès
	Moayad Samman, CEO, King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB), Jordan
3. Disaster Relief: Search & Rescue Operations & Role of Naval Assets in Aid Missions.
	Moderator: Rear Admiral Ali Al Moallem, Commander, Lebanese Navy
	Vice Admiral (R'td) Kevin Cosgriff, Former Commander, US Fifth Fleet, United States
	Amar Daoudi, Director, Logistics, World Food Programme, United Nations
	Alain Perret, Director, Homeland Security Department, Ministère de l'Intérieur, France
4. Energy, Oil and Gas Geopolitical and Economical Challenges - Gulf Cooperation Council & Europe
	Moderator: Olivier Appert, Chairman and CEO, Institut Français du Pétrole, France
	Jerome Ferrier, Director, Global Security Total, France
	Senior Board Member, ADNOC, UAE
	Ms. Ruba Husari, Middle East Energy Expert
5. International Security Organizations: Local, Sub-Regional, Regional and International
	Moderator: Rear Admiral (R'td) Dr. Samir El Khadem, Former Commander, Lebanese Navy
	Francis Vallat, Chairman, Institut Français de la Mer, France
	Dr. Eric Thompson, Director, International Affairs Group, Center for Naval Analysis, United States
	Captain George McCarthy? , Head of Outreach and Coordination
	Office of Global Maritime Situational Awareness, United States
11:30 - 12:00	Networking break, refreshments, and prayers
	Final Plenary Session
12:00 - 12:05	"The Way Ahead"
	Chaired by: Brig. Gen. Rashad Al-Shibani, Commander of Staff College, UAE Armed Forces
12:05 - 12:20	Improving International Maritime Security Cooperation
	Admiral Pierre-François Forissier, Commander, French Navy
12:20 - 12:35	Improving Gulf Maritime Security Cooperation
	Rear Admiral Mohammed Al Sabab Al Tenaiji, Commander, UAE Navy
12:35 - 12:50	Panel Discussion
12:50 - 13:00	Closing remarks by Riad Kahwaji
13:00 - 14:00	Luncheon
14:00	End of Conference
	* = The speaker has been formally invited but is yet to confirm participation officially

Benefits of Attending

The Biggest Ever Dedicated High-Level Maritime Security Conference in the Middle East

The Maritime Security Cooperation Conference will have morning plenary sessions and afternoon working groups that would tackle various issues related to regional maritime security, including strategic multinational cooperation, the challenges of meeting current and future threats, and new technologies to bolster capabilities. Other key areas to be discussed at the two-day event include terrorism and asymmetric threats, combating piracy and other illegal activities, responding to environmental disasters, disaster relief operations, the role international organizations, and the role of industry in meeting future capability requirements.

Event Cost:

USD $1,000

Additional Event Information:

The Maritme Security Cooperation Conference is a high level international security conference being held on the occasion of the inauguration of the French Navy and Support Base in Abu Dhabi. As such, it is the most important strategic security conference of the year in the Arabian Gulf region. It will gather dozens of military leaders and security experts from around the world in addition to over 500 VIP guests that will be invited from around the GCC region and other friendly countries to attend, including many Government Ministers, Chiefs of Staff, and Naval Commanders.

Event Point of Contact:

For more information contact Sabahat Khan on sabahat@inegma.com

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