Preparation for Olympics and Expo bid gather steam

Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has urged members of the Dubai 2020 Organising Committee to work harmoniously and succeed in bringing the 2020 World Expo and Olympic Games to the UAE.

During his meeting with the working group of the Dubai 2020 Organising Committee at the Emirates Towers in Dubai on Monday, Shaikh Mohammad highlighted the importance of teamwork as being crucial to the UAE realising its dream of hosting one of the world's top sporting events.

The meeting was chaired by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and was attended by a large number of committee members, including Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chief Executive of Emirates Group, Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation and Chairman of the National Olympic Committee, Abdul Rahman Mohammad Nassir Al Owais, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, other government department heads and senior officials.

Shaikh Mohammad stressed that in addition to putting together the necessary integrated infrastructure, logistical planning and promotional and entertainment facilities, an event of the magnitude of the Olympics demanded huge investments in terms of time and effort. He said that no target is impossible to reach as long as there is a well-thought-out plan and a spirit of willingness to succeed.

Shaikh Mohammad also expressed his confidence in the chairman and members of the higher organising committee and stated that Dubai's rich Arab history and sublime achievement record will help it to win favour with countries and companies around the world.

Shaikh Hamdan said the meeting was the first of many to discuss and analyse the latest ideas and suggestions to support and strengthen the city's bid for the events. Dubbing Dubai the capital of finance and business in the Middle East and Asia, Shaikh Hamdan urged the team to push forward and find effective solutions that will win the approval and support of countries around the world.

An executive sub-committee was also formed to oversee the task and conduct a study on the feasibility of bidding for the 2020 Games.