Seoul: The UAE is well positioned to host a very special World Expo 2020 in Dubai, the first ever in the Arab world, says Reem Ebrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State and Managing Director of the Higher Committee for Hosting the World Expo 2020 in an interview with KBS TV, the country’s state-run television network.
Appearing in a TV special dubbed “We’re here at 2012 Yeosu Expo” which went on air on Sunday afternoon (11.10am UAE time) over KBS main channel 9 nationwide, Reem said: “We are very confident of our ability to host this major event. I just hope that we have the opportunity to do so and that we can welcome you to a very special Expo in Dubai in 2020.”
The programme was taped on June 14 when Reem was in Korea to attend the UAE Day celebrations held at the Yeosu Expo UAE pavilion at the head of a 100 plus UAE delegation. The program was hooked up with KBS TV international service as well.
While praising the unlimited support given by the UAE government to enable strong participation at Expo 2012 Yeosu together with a series of previous Expos over more than 40 years since before the State was even established, Reem made it clear that the UAE endorses and embraces Bureau International des Expositions (BIE)’s own vision for Expos that foster education through experience, development through innovation and experimentation through cooperation.
Reem said:” We truly believe in the power of Expos to create a better world. The UAE has a deep insight into the benefits of shared experiences, knowledge and skills. We have over two hundred nationalities living with us and we have no doubt that this has been one of the driving forces for our progress. Multicultural exchange has been a founding principle of the Emirates long before the country was formed in 1971.”
“And just as we celebrate the mix of cultural diversity and innovation that has been our strength, so we understand how expos can play a similar role, enabling different nations to contribute their respective knowledge in the battle to face the major challenges for humanity.” Reem went on to say when asked by reporters what motivated Dubai to become a candidate city to host Expo 2020.
Touching on the competitive edge of Dubai over other candidate cities, she noted that over 60 million visitors travel through UAE’s six international airports each year, and with transport, social and economic infrastructures that are second to none,
“We are promoting Dubai as a host city for Expo 2020 under the theme of Connecting Minds, Creating the Future. I will do my best to achieve such goal while in Korea,” Reem said pointing out that Dubai is the Arab world’s first global city of the 21st century.
The UAE is a strong, vibrant and modern nation open to the world. One-third of the world’s population lives within a four-hour flight of the UAE, two-thirds within an eight-hour flight, top campaigner of Dubai 2020 Expo added.
Among other strong points of Dubai are its strategic location, advanced world-class infrastructure and mature service sector which has made Dubai the gateway to Europe, Asia and Africa, she explained, pointing out that the city has already developed a robust network of economic and urban infrastructure and more are in the pipeline.
She was referring to Dubai’s logistical reach by both sea and air which is unparalleled. DP World, the world’s fourth largest seaport operator, manages more than 60 terminals across six continents.
Dubai’s powerful air transport capabilities which are embodied in its two airports Dubai World Central and Dubai International Airport, making them the fourth busiest in the world.
She then noted that UAE is one of the safest countries in the world as a home to over 200 different nationalities that live and work together harmoniously under tolerance policies of the UAE leadership without being discriminated against because of their ethnic background, religions and beliefs
“Given its growing prominence in regional and global affairs, the United Arab Emirates is the most suitable host for the World Expo. We want to bring the expo to the world and the world to Dubai,” Reem concluded.
The KBS special programme with focus on Dubai’s bid to host 2020 World Expo was also watched by hundreds of thousands of Korean expatriates residing in the United States and Southeast Asian countries through KBS TV global service network hooked up with satellites. KBS TV earlier played up prominently news about UAE National Day and an exclusive interview with Reem during its prime time news programmes on June 14 and 15.
With 49 days to go before the end of 2012 Yeosu Expo, the number of visitors to the Expo 2012 is likely to top 2,200,000 on Sunday, organizers of the Yeosu Expo said on Sunday.
