Pakistan formally announced its participation in Expo 2020 on Sunday, signing a participation contract at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) in Abu Dhabi.

The contract was signed by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UAE, Moazzam Ahmad Khan and Sultan Mohammad Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The contract signing formally kickstarted activities that will begin the construction of Pakistan Pavilion at the Expo 2020 site. It will be built on a large plot in the Opportunity District, and be based on the theme ‘Emerging Pakistan’.

Abdul Razak Dawood, adviser to the Pakistan Prime Minister on Commerce, Textile, Industry & Production and Investment, stated that they look forward to making its participation most meaningful, in line with the expo’s theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’. He said Expo 2020 is not only a UAE-specific event, but is an exposition for the whole region. “We have already started the design phase of the Pakistan Pavilion, reflecting the true potential of Pakistan,” he said. “The prime minister has constituted a high-level steering committee, with representation from private and public sector stakeholders for effective participation.”