Dubai Expo will be blessing in corona aftermath: UAE envoy

ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador for Pakistan Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Alzaabi has assured the world that Dubai Expo-2020’s new schedule would be a blessing for the world in the aftermath of coronavirus sick world since the General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) has approved the request of the UAE government and its Executive Committee to postpone Dubai Expo 2020 to next year.

The global mega event will now run from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, a delay that allows all participants to safely navigate the impact of COVID-19, and allows the world expo to focus on a collective desire for new thinking to identify solutions to some of the greatest challenges of our time.

The energetic UAE envoy said that the Expo 2020 Dubai is gearing up to help shape a post-pandemic world and create a better future for all after a two-thirds majority of BIE member states voted in favour of postponing the next World Expo by one year.

Talking to media Ambassador Hamad Obaid said that over fifty years, they have sought to build bridges, connections, and partnerships around the world because they believe in genuine collaboration to safeguard the future of all. “This swift and overwhelming vote reflects the strength of our international partnerships and truly reflects the positive role the UAE and Dubai play with all countries around the world”, he said.

“This affirmation by the international community of Dubai’s offering and its ability to deliver, further strengthens our commitment to matching ambition with achievement to hosting an event that will capture the world’s imagination, when the time is right,” the ambassador added who was extremely pleased about the decision.

Expo 2020 Dubai retains its name and remains committed to hosting an exceptional event that will celebrate humanity’s resilience, creativity, culture and innovation including major technological advances in the fields of medicine and science. The first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, and largest ever event to take place in the Arab world, Expo 2020 will welcome 192 countries, plus businesses, multilateral organisations and educational establishments.

It was unanimously agreed to maintain the name 'Expo 2020 Dubai', Ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Alzaabi said.