By Rafiq Vayani
DUBAI: Members of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, under the chairmanship of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Expo 2020 Higher Committee Chairman, President of the Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, have met to discuss updates and latest developments.
The meeting at the rapidly developing Expo site in Dubai South was attended by Higher Committee members His Excellency Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Shaibani, Vice Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee and Director General of HH The Ruler’s Court of Dubai; Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau; His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan; His Excellency Dr Sultan Al Jaber; His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer; His Excellency Major General Abdullah Al Merri; His Excellency Khalifa Al Zaffin; His Excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri; His Excellency Mohamed Alabbar and His Excellency Eng. Dawood Al Hajri.
The members reviewed progress and ongoing construction operations, as well as the latest updates on the upcoming International Participants Meeting and Two Years To Go milestone, and other preparatory plans to deliver the highly anticipated next World Expo.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of the National Media Council, who presented an update on the UAE’s pavilion at Expo 2020, which the Council is overseeing. His Excellency Dr Sultan Al Jaber confirmed that the UAE pavilion team was now focused on creating the pavilion’s content, which will highlight the nation’s past and present while providing a glimpse of the future.
The office of Expo 2020 Dubai also presented an update on the latest construction progress at the site, reiterating that work is on schedule.
The meeting heard that more than 170 countries had confirmed their participation. Expo 2020 Dubai is expected to attract 25 million visits and will be the most inclusive in history with more than 70 per cent of visitors projected to come from outside the UAE.
The Higher Committee also reviewed development of the Mobility andSustainability Thematic Pavilions, which, along with the OpportunityThematic Pavilion will represent Expo 2020’s three subthemes.
His Excellency Eng. Dawood Al Hajri, Director General, Dubai Municipality provided an overview of the landscaping and irrigation projects for the roads connecting to the Expo 2020 site.
Expo 2020 is the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region. It will run for six months from 20 October, 2020 to 10 April, 2021.
Underpinned by its theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, and with more than 200 participants including nations, multilateral organisations, businesses and educational institutions, Expo 2020 will be a celebration of human ingenuity. News Desk
