With more than 40 heads of state and scores of senior ministers visiting Dubai Expo 2020, public diplomacy has been in full swing at the six-month long exhibition traditionally associated with trade and business.
While the world battled with lockdowns amid global pandemic, Dubai opened doors to Expo in October 2021 — one year later than planned.
Experts believe that Expo planners remodeled their strategy to utilize the six-month long expo as a public diplomacy effort while business travelers across the world struggled to cope with stringent travel regulations, a bunch of PCR tests and Covid-19 vaccination challenges.
One of the initiatives to achieve the public diplomacy efforts was to celebrate National Days of as many countries as possible during the six-month period: October 2021 to March 31, 2022.
Though most of the 100-plus National Days marked at the Expo 2020 were not in sync with official days — the United States National Day falls on July 4 and France’s Bastille Day is on July 14 — at the Dubai Expo the US National Day was marked on March 6 and France’s day was on October 2 last year.
These celebrations of National Days played a significant role in attracting foreign leaders and decisionmakers to the Expo and eventually to Dubai and the UAE.
In the last week of Expo, Dubai hosted World Government Summit (WGS 2022) — a gathering of global policymakers. Organized at the Expo venue, the WGS 2022 further sealed Dubai’s diplomatic initiative to solve political differences through constructive engagement.
Public diplomacy
After years of coldness, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the Expo turned a new leaf in the UAE-Turkish relations.
Also, following the Abraham Accords, the President of Israel Issac Herzog’s visit to the Expo got a widespread coverage in regional and international media, along with that of leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, among 40-plus heads of state.
As the Expo 2020 officially closed on March 31 with bright fireworks visible from several miles away and musical performances by the likes of Christina Aguilera and Nora Jones, the remodeled strategy to utilize the Expo as a platform to strengthen diplomatic relations seems to have worked in the favor of Dubai Expo organizers.
Besides the top leadership of the UAE, several ministers such as Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Tolerance Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Economy Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of State for Foreign Trade Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, and Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy helped in boosting UAE’s image as a soft superpower by engaging with large number of foreign delegations during a short period of six months.
Owing to pandemic-led travel curbs, the total number of visitors to Expo stood at 23 million — two million fewer than number targeted.
Though two million does not seems to be way off the mark, inside sources claim that repeat visits from the residents of the UAE — a country of nine million people — contributed significantly to total number of visitors.
The UAE, quite successfully, has projected itself as a soft superpower riding on the success of Dubai Expo and has also emerged as a new world capital of political and cultural diplomacy during its six-month run.
The primary goal of the Expo 2020, one of the most significant events of its kind to have ever taken place in the Middle East, was to connect minds and create the future through sustainability, mobility, and opportunity.
However, the 192 participating countries not only tried to showcase their innovations, cultures, and aims for the future through their respective custom-built pavilions, but also attempted to advance their diplomatic pursuits at the sprawling complexes designed to fascinate visitors.
Behind the scenes, the event evolved into a venue for political discussions and diplomatic relations.
Many royals and international celebrities who visited the Expo has nothing but praise for the organizers.
“Visiting the incredible pavilions at Expo 2020, I was struck by the optimistic message Dubai is sending to its millions of international visitors that when the world comes together, we can create a better tomorrow,” said Prince William, on his first-ever official trip to the UAE, during which he visited the UK pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai to mark the Expo’s UK National Day on February 10, while the most popular and almost official British National day is on June 12. Currently, the UK has no single official national day.
Turkish President Erdogan, who toured his country’s pavilion at Expo, commended the UAE for hosting the Expo, despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The progress achieved by the UAE based on the leadership and vision of the late Sheikh Zayed is truly commendable. One of the works that reflects the exemplary breakthrough of the Emirates is undoubtedly the Expo in Dubai,” he said during his visit.
This is the same Erdogan who accused the UAE of financing coup attempt against his government in June 2016. He said at the time: “We know very well who in the Gulf was happy about the coup attempt and spent a lot of money on its execution.”
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was also at Expo 2020 to celebrate his country’s National Day on November 16, showcasing the possibilities for increased trade, business, and cultural ties with the Arab world in general and the UAE in particular. Brazil’s official National Day falls on September 7.
“This is a one-of-a-kind National Day celebration at Expo 2020, and it underscores the importance of Brazil’s strong connection with the UAE. The presence of the President Jair Bolsonaro and a state ministerial delegation emphasizes this further with the Expo 2020 bringing the world under one canopy,” stated Elias Martins Filho, Commissioner-General for Brazil Expo 2020 Dubai.
During his official tour to the UAE, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman visited Expo 2020.
While there, he expressed his gratitude for Dubai’s outstanding efforts in arranging this unique event, as well as the integration of national efforts to produce the global event at the highest level of organization.
The Expo also provided an opportunity to the Saudi Crown Prince to declare his desire to host the Expo 2030 in Riyadh.
Emmanuel Macron, the President of the French Republic, also toured Expo 2020 Dubai and praised the “excellent organization” of the world’s largest expo.
“We are very happy and proud to be here, and I want to congratulate the UAE and its leaders for organizing this exhibition and making it a success because, in such a time and where we see Covid-19 and so many threats, organizing this exhibition and making it a success is good for the country and good for everyone,” he said.
While Abu Dhabi has traditionally been the center of diplomacy in the UAE, global dignitaries visiting the Expo brought Dubai into the focus as well.
Furthermore, Expo 2020 has become an essential component of the UAE’s distinct nation-branding activities.
According to Angelo Lorusso, Accenture’s Managing Director and Client Account Lead for Expo 2020, “Expo 2020 has firmly established Dubai on the world map, not only as a tourism destination but also as a center of innovation, business, diplomacy, and opportunity. Today, more than ever, people are looking for a hopeful vision of the future that will better their lives.”
He also told TRENDS: “Expo 2020 Dubai delivered on all these fronts and more. It was an opportunity to bring the globe together with a common goal of influencing thoughts, talks, negotiations, and actions that address some of humanity’s most critical issues. This Expo, and everything it represented, will undoubtedly affect the future of events as we know them, at least for the next 10 years or so.”
A global spotlight
Unlike previous Expos, which swiftly faded from public memory, Expo 2020 is likely to continue radiating its aura for a long time.
The UAE has shown its unique approach to nation-branding with the event, which other countries can learn from.
“This year’s Expo in Dubai is unique in two respects,” said Lorusso.
“First, it is the biggest Expo ever hosted in terms of size, the number of countries and corporate pavilions and, given the momentum established, likely the greatest number of visitors. At the same time, it is also the most personal because each visitor of the likely 20 million who will visit will have had a unique experience.”
According to Maggy Nagel, Commissioner General for the Luxembourg Pavilion at Expo 2020, the event is unique among past Expos as it is the first MEASA Expo and the first hosted by an Arab country.
“This Expo was all about building new partnerships and meeting decision makers from different nations. The continuing pandemic set Expo 2020 Dubai in a unique position compared to past Expos. It is thus a remarkable achievement that the Expo had not to close for a single day,” she said.
Nagel highlighted how fruitful the six months had been for the Luxembourg pavilion.
“Luxembourg’s experience at Expo 2020 was surely one-of-a-kind and extremely rewarding. We hosted conferences, temporary exhibitions, gastronomy workshops, and social gatherings to demonstrate the country’s diversity. We also had many VIP visitors from all around the world. In the Pavilion’s restaurant, we also entertained many Luxembourg economic missions as well as some of the UAE’s top politicians.”
With billions of dollars’ worth of CEPAs (comprehensive economic partnership agreements) signed at Dubai Expo, more than $7-billion investment from the six-month long event will continue to pay substantial returns for many years to come.
Words of UAE Vice-President and Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid echoed at the closing ceremony on Thursday: “This is not the end but a new era.”
Expo’s most significant agreements
Several important agreements and deals were signed during Expo 2020, here are a few of them:
- A deal between Mubadala Investment Company and the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Recovery. It was signed by Khaldoon Al Mubarak, chief executive and managing director of Mubadala, and Bruno Le Maire, France’s Minister of Economy, and Finance.
- Uganda signed several new business deals worth $650 million at Expo 2020 Dubai. The commitments included investments in fields such as renewable energy, transport, agriculture, mineral processing, and manufacturing medical kits.
- At the Expo 2020, the UAE and Philippines signed a Joint Statement on the proposed Philippines-UAE CEPA. A future CEPA aspires to strengthen trade, increase investment flows, reduce needless trade obstacles, and generate new business opportunities. The two countries also reached an agreement on investment promotion and protection (IPPA).
- India Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai celebrated the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and the UAE. The partnership will help further bolster the strategic partnership and bilateral economic and commercial engagements.
- During President Moon Jae-official in’s visit to Expo 2020 Dubai, the UAE and South Korea signed many agreements. One of the most notable accords is a framework agreement between ADNOC and the Export-Import Bank of Korea.
