Dubai: Government and business leaders gathered at the future site of Expo 2020 on Tuesday afternoon to hear what comes next for the mega event at a presentation themed “Expanding Prospects of Opportunities.”
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai along with Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates airline and Group and Expo 2020 Higher Committee Chairman and prominent UAE business leaders attended the presentation by Reem Al Hashemi, Minister of State, Director General of Bureau Dubai Expo 2020, and Board Representative of the Dubai Expo 2020 Higher Committee.
Her presentation kicked started the business communities involvement into Expo 2020 preparations, and included videos from prominent Expo 2020 supporters such as Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president of Nigeria.
Nearly 300 businessmen and CEOs of Arab and foreign companies were present at the meeting.
In a statement from WAM, Shaikh Mohammad “expressed his delight at meeting an elite group of heads of national and international companies and businessmen, to introduce them to the objectives of hosting Expo 2020 and looking ahead through such meetings, which offer a platform to share constructive ideas and proposals that contribute to arriving at a common view in order to highlight the UAE’s cultural and humanitarian face.”
Shaikh Mohammad went on to say that Dubai Expo 2020 aims to stimulate the national and global economy and offer jobs for youth through projects that will be implemented in Dubai and the UAE. He wished the Chairman and members of the Expo 2020 Higher Committee success in shouldering their big responsibilities.
He stressed his unlimited support for the Committee’s activities and sincere endeavour to draw lessons from the previous Expo editions held in different countries in the world and make the best ever they can by all standards, so as the UAE would remain at the forefront of nations, making it number one.
In her presentation, the minister said, “The speed with which we can collaborate, innovate, invent and introduce new thinking and new products is helping us meet the pace at which global challenges are roaring, headlong, toward us.”
Al Hashemi also urged business and finance leaders, and national and international companies operating in the UAE, to help shape the future and share ideas and thoughts that could contribute to the success of Expo 2020, which is projected to welcome 25 million visitors from across the world. She said that construction work on the venue’s infrastructure and other facilities had already commenced on a total land area of more than 280,000 hectares.
The presentation concluded with the unveiling of an Expo 2020 sculpture, near where the wasl — or central hub — of the Expo will be built. The Expo site is located between Dubai Investment Park and Al Maktoum Airport. The event itself is expected to have a $25 billion impact on the UAE.
— With inputs from WAM
