Expo 2020: UAE Delegation In Paris Headed By Sheikh Ahmed

A seven-member UAE delegation chaired by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation and chairman and CEO of the Emirates Group, is in Paris ahead of the Expo 2020 vote, which takes place on Wednesday.

The delegation, which arrived in Paris on Monday, consists of Mohammed Ebrahim Al Shaibani, director-general of the Ruler’s Court of Dubai and CEO of the Investment Corporation of Dubai, Reem Al Hashemi, managing director of the Expo 2020 Bid Committee and minister of state, Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the Roads and Transport Authority, Hussain Nasser Lootah, director general of Dubai Municipality, Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, chief of Dubai Police and Helal Saeed Al Merri, director-general of Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre.

Dubai has invested heavily in marketing its Expo bid, which is themed ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.’ Its Facebook page has over 744,250 likes and its Twitter account boasts over 62,400 followers.

The emirate has also managed to garner endorsements from across the world for its bid, including from the UK and Canada, but faces stiff competition from Ekaterinburg (Russia), Izmir (Turkey), and Sao Paulo (Brazil) to host the mega event.

The Expo 2020 winner will be declared on November 27 following a vote by the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), which oversees the bidding, selection and organisation of World Expos.