UAE Submits Official Bid To Host World Expo 2020

The UAE’s Ambassador to France, Mohamed Meer Abdalla Al Raeesi, has submitted the country’s official bid dossier in support of its bid to host World Expo 2020 to the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), which oversees the bidding, selection and organisation of World Expos.

The 600-page document, prepared over 10 months, discusses the Dubai Expo 2020 theme as well as plans for the Dubai Expo 2020 site, event visitors, promotion, financial costs, environmental impact and ideas about the legacy to the host city and beyond.

The bid dossier will be sent to representatives of all 161 member countries of the BIE, it was announced in a statement.

Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State and managing director of the Higher Committee for Hosting the 2020 World Expo in Dubai, said, “We have prepared a distinctive dossier to convey an authentic portrait of our nation and its vision to deliver an unforgettable World Expo in the UAE.

“In line with our theme – Connecting Minds, Creating the Future – Dubai Expo 2020 aspires to be a celebration of innovative new partnerships offering enduring benefits for future generations. I am confident that the Bid Dossier is a thorough piece of work and a deep portrayal of our capability to host such a mega-event on the eve of our 50th anniversary.”

The UAE’s bid to host the Expo may cost up to $4 billion, Al Hashimy told official news agency WAM earlier this year.

Dubai is competing against four other candidate cities bidding to host the 2020 World Expo, including Ayutthaya (Thailand), Ekaterinburg (Russia), Izmir (Turkey), and Sao Paulo (Brazil).

The five cities were required to submit their plans to the BIE by Monday’s deadline and are now not allowed to make any further submission. BIE officials will review the bid dossiers in detail before visiting each country to assess the plans.

The winning city will be announced in November 2013 following a vote by the BIE member nations.