Egypt's first international weapons fair wrapped up Wednesday, giving the major arms purchaser vast opportunities to diversify its weapons sources while hosting an event in the booming industry's hottest region, where conflicts rage from Libya to Yemen. The three-day Egypt Defence Expo saw nearly 400 exhibition stands and some 10,000 military and defense visitors from over 40 countries. The fair was billed to the public as an event to boost the country's prestige on the world stage and project an image of security. Egypt is fighting an Islamic State-led insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula and expends considerable military resources there. Global arms sales are booming, with the trade worth over $100 billion annually and growing at a clip of about 10 percent every five years, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Source: ABC News December 05, 2018 16:41 UTC