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As well as Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh bid, Rome in Italy and the South Korean city of Busan are also vying to host Expo 2030 Saudi Arabia has presented its proposal for hosting Expo 2030 to the General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), currently taking place in Paris, France. The plan, which carries a budget of $7.8 billion and revolves around the theme of global togetherness, outlines a comprehensive vision for the Expo 2030 event. Leading the Saudi delegation, Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah chaired the discussions. Alongside Saudi Arabia’s bid from Riyadh, Rome in Italy and the South Korean city of Busan are also competing to host Expo 2030. In his address to the assembly, Prince Faisal emphasised the kingdom’s strategic geographical position as a connecting point between north and south, east and west, and expressed the nation’s intent to foster partnerships with international companies and elevate its global standing through collaborative efforts and cooperation with friendly nations. Prince Faisal said: “Our strategic priority in the kingdom is to present an exhibition that is set up by the world to the world and that recognises the global diversity at the time the international community is preparing the shift towards a sustainable and more equal future”. He also noted that the world is witnessing several challenges that require joint efforts to address and achieve tangible progress towards realising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which, he added, are at the heart of the Saudi Vision 2030, led by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, which seeks a prosperous and sustainable future. The prince also said that the kingdom’s bid to host Expo 2030 is manifested in the theme, “Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow,” which includes agenda items on welfare for all and climate action. Khalid Al-Falih, Saudi Minister of Investment, announced that the Kingdom has allocated $7.8bn to support the hosting of Expo 2030. Prince Faisal said: “Expo 2030 constitutes an opportunity to enhance joint projects of global impact and cooperation to find solutions to common challenges through innovation, sustainability, and inclusiveness which all lie at the heart of the design of the Riyadh Expo 2030.” Prince Faisal also unveiled the programs in the Kingdom’s bid to host Expo 2030, including the allocation of $343m to support 100 countries in pavilion construction, maintenance, technology support, travel, events and more. “The Kingdom will work on improving more programs side by side with its pioneering partners around the world, besides the private sector, which reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to organise a genuine global expo,” he said. Prince Faisal added that Riyadh is a global, vibrant city with a population of more than seven million, of which 48 per cent are non-Saudis who come from more than 130 countries. “Riyadh is proud of its deeply-rooted identity and its rich cultural heritage,” he said. “We are fully confident of our ability to impress the world and present an unprecedented experience, with constant ambitions and gratitude of all government sectors and the Saudi society. “We are highly grateful to all countries that expressed support to our bid to host Expo 2030”. |
