Edge builds collaboration with French industry

The United Arab Emirates' (UAE's) defence industrial conglomerate Edge announced on 22 November that the firm had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with French aerospace and defence industry association Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques et Spatiales (GIFAS) during the recent Dubai Airshow.

Vice president of Strategic Programs & Corporate Development at Edge, Reda Nidhakou, said in a statement that, “This agreement is a key step towards more knowledge sharing and technology collaborations between EDGE and French-based small and medium enterprises (SMEs). We look forward to working closely with GIFAS to drive an innovative future for the defence and aerospace sectors in both our countries.”

Director general of GIFAS, Pierre Bourlot said in the same statement that, “Considering the ties between France and the UAE at institutional level, the MoU signed by GIFAS and Edge aims to foster our industrial cooperation at the level of small and midcap companies by identifying technical areas where our expertise can match with Edge needs.”

According to Bourlot, more than 30 GIFAS members already have a presence in the UAE through existing programmes and business opportunities.