Dubai Expo 2020 Team Provides Second Update To BIE

Expo 2020 Dubai has shared its preliminary plans with the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the organisation which oversees World and International Expos, it was announced on Thursday.

This was the second of many updates required for the official registration of Dubai as the 2020 World Expo host city, a statement said. The mandatory Registration Phase is due for approval from the BIE by November 2015.

Khalifa Al Zaffin, member of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, shared an update with the BIE on the newly created Expo 2020 Bureau.

The bureau, established by a decree from Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has the mandate to oversee the preparation and delivery of the Expo through coordinating and planning with national and international stakeholders, formalising key programming, and setting up critical governance structures.

Al Zaffin also presented an overview of the Expo 2020 Dubai site’s positioning and legacy. The host venue for the event, stretching from Dubai Trade Centre to Jebel Ali, is a 438-hectare site that includes a dedicated gated 150-hectare expo area and a surrounding residential, hospitality and logistics zone.

It is being designed by a consortium consisting of US-based architects HOK and engineering firm Arup, it was announced in August this year. Site readiness activity is currently underway, and full-fledged construction will begin after the approval is received.

“Delivering a successful and effective World Expo 2020 is a complex operation including creating meaningful content, building a highly functional location, and involving our global community,” said Al Zaffin.

“The Expo 2020 site is strategically located within Dubai World Central which is the future economic driver of Dubai. It is growing in a strong and sustainable manner in terms of trade, logistics and residential interest.” ‫

Reem Al Hashimy, MD of the Dubai Expo 2020 Higher Committee and director general of Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, added: “We are pleased to continue to work closely with the BIE and to share with them our plans for the delivery of this momentous event. We are confident these plans will allow us to successfully achieve our vision and goals to produce a meaningful Expo for our country, region and global community.”

Dubai, which beat rivals Ekaterinburg, Izmir and Sao Paulo to win the Expo hosting rights in November last year, will hold the six-month event from October 2020 to April 2021, coinciding with the UAE’s golden jubilee celebration.

The event, expected to attract 25 million visitors, is also estimated to add $24 billion to the UAE’s economy.

BIE Secretary General, Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales said,“Planning an Expo that celebrates a community as well as educates the world on issues that will have significant influence on the future of our global cultures and economies, is an enormous undertaking.

“It is the mission of the BIE to provide continual support for host cities to ensure that the Expo experience is truly unique and strengthens the community.”