Middle East in huge naval expansion

Concerns over maritime security in the Middle East and North Africa are fueling a massive expansion of naval capacity in the region, bucking a worldwide trend of slowing military spending as a result of the global recession. Problems with piracy, long-term stability and energy security are prompting Arab governments to spend billions of dollars on naval equipment, ranging from ships to unmanned drones, experts at the Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition told Al Jazeera. "In terms of percentage growth, the Middle East and North Africa actually leads the world naval market," Bob Nugent, a maritime defense market analyst, said. "The focus is on capabilities that can give you the anti-piracy, anti-terrorism sorts of missions." The trend for countries in the region to increase maritime spending comes as governments in Europe, Africa and Asia have slashed spending in light of constraints placed on them by the global economic slowdown. But in the Middle East, naval security is increasingly being viewed as a priority by governments.