Riyadh — Saudi Arabia was all set to make a spirited bid for World Expo 2030 at the 172nd General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). The Kingdom’s chances are significantly boosted by recent remarkable achievements in the economic, cultural, and diplomatic arenas.
The Kingdom’s capital, Riyadh, is competing for this mega-global event against three other cities: Busan (South Korea), Rome (Italy), and Odessa (Ukraine).
The ongoing war in Ukraine is expected to dampen Odessa’s chances. It also remains to be seen whether Rome will stay in the competition because the International Bureau of Exhibitions’ policy stipulates that a country cannot host the same exhibition within a span of 15 years. Italy had hosted Expo 2015 in Milan. Thus, Riyadh and Busan are the primary contenders.
Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman attended the Kingdom's official reception for #Riyadh's candidacy to host #Expo2030 held in Paris.@bieparis @KSAmofaEN @RCRCSA #Expo2030
— TRENDS (@mena_trends) June 20, 2023
Video credit: @Riyadh_Expo2030 pic.twitter.com/TxLxiCMLkW
Already, out of the 170 member states of the Bureau International des Expositions, which oversees the Expo, 90 countries support Riyadh’s bid to host the exhibition.
Reception
On the eve of the Bureau International des Expositions’ 172nd General Assembly, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attended the official reception of Riyadh’s candidacy file in Paris.
The member states of the Bureau participated in the ceremony, introducing Riyadh’s readiness, plans, and projects to host the exhibition. The host city will be selected through voting at the next General Assembly meeting in November 2023.
The reception, hosted by the Royal Commission for the City of Riyadh, featured an exhibition showcasing the Kingdom’s and its capital’s civilizational and cultural depth, political and economic stature, and geographical distinction.
The reception also highlighted Riyadh’s world-class infrastructure, which has enabled it to host some of the world’s biggest events. The Kingdom showcased many facilities that will be realized once a host of ongoing development projects are completed, enhancing the city’s capabilities to host Expo 2030.
Showcasing Riyadh
The exhibition provided a virtual journey through Riyadh in 2030, beginning with the arrival at King Salman International Airport and progressing through modern transportation modes to a tour of the capital’s most prominent landmarks and significant projects.
“Expo Riyadh 2030,” titled “Together We Look Forward to the Future,” will bring together 226 official participants, including countries, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, universities, businesspeople, artists, and innovators.
It will also highlight Saudi Arabia’s unique geographical location, culture, tourism, and history, as well as its political and economic prowess.
“Expo 2030” has an ambitious target of attracting 40 million visits, surpassing Expo 2020 Dubai’s 24 million visits over six months. The exhibition includes three sub-themes: “A Better Tomorrow”, “Climate Action” and “Prosperity for All”.
“A Better Tomorrow” focuses on future opportunities provided by scientific and technological innovations, which increase resilience to challenges and serve humanity.
“Climate Action” emphasizes advancing innovation through international cooperation to preserve the ecosystem and natural resources, providing sustainable solutions to all countries.
“Prosperity for All” addresses global disparities and imbalances, considering each country’s cultural perspective, conditions, and aspirations.
The Kingdom is optimistic
During the mission’s final press conference, Fahd bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Rasheed, the then CEO of the Royal Commission for the City of Riyadh, stated, “Our file is strong, and we are ready to host Expo 2030, as we have fulfilled all technical requirements.” We have unprecedented international support and Saudi society’s support.”
He went on to say, “We expect the exhibition to have more than 40 million visits to the site, in addition to one billion visits via the virtual platform (Metaverse), which has never happened before in the history of Expo exhibitions.”
According to Al-Rasheed, the budget set for building the Expo site worth eight billion dollars is small compared to the city’s current construction investments of $400 billion.” “We are building the largest transportation network in the world and the largest airport in the world,” Al-Rasheed continued, “and more than 30 mega projects are currently under construction, so the city is like a beehive of economic activity.
In the first week of April this year, Fahd Al-Rasheed was relieved from his post as the CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City. Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al-Sultan was assigned to perform the work of the RCRC chief executive, while Al-Rasheed took an advisory role at the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers. Al-Sultan is the Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers, and now the acting CEO of RCRC.
Patrick Specht, the head of the International Bureau of Exhibitions delegation, acknowledged these strides, noting, “We became acquainted with the capabilities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” He added that the country and its capital possess all the necessary resources and capabilities.
Dmitry Kirkentzes, Secretary-General of the International Bureau of Exhibitions, affirmed that the Kingdom will organize an Expo that is “completely consistent with the program that we reviewed this week, and reflects the Kingdom’s development process over the past few years.” He added that the presence of integrated infrastructure in the Kingdom meets the requirements for an event such as an Expo.