Thales boasts a strong presence in the GCC region, which started almost 30 years ago with the establishment of the company's regional headquarters in Dubai. With over 600 employees in the GCC, Thales is today the largest system integrator in the region and is chosen as a strategic partner by numerous ministries of transport, ministries of interior and armed forces for the delivery of mission critical systems.

"In the GCC area, Thales has created a network of local integration centers and joint ventures that allow us to work very closely with our clients in each country," comments Michel Viallaneix, Thales security solutions &
services country director - Gulf Region. "The largest of these local entities is Stesa in Riyadh, a subsidiary of Thales specifically addressing the needs of the Saudi Arabian market and employing over 500 people. Today,
with the creation of our second largest entity in the region - our new integration center in Abu Dhabi and Dubai - the company's regional presence will be reinforced specifically in the market segments served by the division Security Solutions & Services. Our offer consists primarily of security and safety solutions for ground transportation as well as security and communication systems for mission critical infrastructure, including that related to citizen ID projects."

Thales has an outstanding footprint in the Middle East and African countries in integrated IT, communications and security businesses. In the specific segment of government-driven citizen ID programs, the company's outstanding track record includes high profile projects such as the new Moroccan national ID card, the national ID cards in Kenya, Gabon, Cameroon and Ivory Coast, and the driver's licenses in Namibia and South Africa.