Dubai's World Expo 2020 will be a success, says EU official
Dubai is fully capable of hosting a successful World Expo in 2020, according to an official for the European Union (EU).
Karmenu Vella, European commissioner for the environment, maritime affairs and fisheries, believes that the region, as well as the wider UAE, is already a master of hosting these types of events and has a proven track record of playing compere for global exhibitions and conferences.
He made his comments in a statement to WAM, the emirates news agency, on his visit to the UAE pavilion at the Expo Milano 2015 on May 24th, reports Emirates 24/7.
Mr Vella expressed admiration for the work that has so far been done for the 2020 edition of the event and for the three sub-themes of the Expo chosen by Dubai and the UAE: sustainability, mobility and opportunity.
Dubai is ambitious and can achieve great results, he added, noting that the participation of the UAE in the Expo Milano 2015 was a triumph and that the emirate had deservedly won the honour of hosting the 2020 version of the exposition.
Involving the country in this year's Expo reflects the UAE's valued experience and knowledge.
Mr Vella explained that thanks to its global partnerships and continuous achievements, Dubai will succeed in hosting the event in five years' time, with its central theme of 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future' contributing towards global development.
The commissioner expressed his delight at a video - entitled Family Tree - which was the centrepiece of the UAE pavilion. It showed how the forefathers of the country coped with scarce water supplies and resources before they discovered oil in 1963, underpinning the importance of sustainability for future generations.
He commented: "Water, for instance, is a global issue and in order to reach a global solution to this issue, we need international cooperation."
The World Expo 2020 is expected to have a significant impact on Dubai, adding billions of dirhams to its economy - the effects of which will be felt across the entire UAE.
According to analysts from Jones Day, the event is likely to generate around $23 billion (£14.9 billion) for the emirate, equating to around 24.4 per cent of its gross domestic product between 2015 and 2021.