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- BIE Enquiry Mission also discusses financial arrangements for the event with Saudi minister
RIYADH: A delegation from the Bureau International des Expositions Enquiry Mission called on Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Tuesday.
During the meeting, they discussed Saudi Arabia’s bid to host World Expo 2030 in Riyadh.
Fahd Al-Rasheed, CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, and Saudi Ambassador to France Fahd Al-Ruwaili were also present.
The team arrived in Riyadh on Sunday to start their six-day evaluation process of the Riyadh candidacy for World Expo 2030.
The Enquiry Mission is headed by Patrick Specht, president of the BIE Administration and Budget Committee. He is accompanied by BIE Secretary-General Dimitrios Kerkentzes, Eva Descarrega Garcia (Andorra), Karen-Mae Hill, OBE (Antigua and Barbuda), Aldwin Dekkers (Belgium), and additional members of the BIE Secretariat.
During the meeting, Al-Rasheed highlighted the advantages of staging the event in the Saudi capital.
“The visit will provide a first-hand opportunity for the delegates to witness the support of our leadership, the commitment of our government, and the excitement of the people of Riyadh and Saudi Arabia, to host a World Expo in our capital city in 2030.”
“Riyadh submitted a robust bid dossier last September under the main theme, Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow, and its candidacy is currently enjoying global support,” Al-Rasheed added.
Earlier, the visiting team also met Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan to discuss the Kingdom’s financing plans for the event.
He told the delegates that Riyadh Expo 2030 would help generate new economic opportunities for the city and the Kingdom and help raise the quality of life.
The BIE delegation also visited the Saudi National Museum at the King Abdulaziz Historical Center.
The delegation will engage with ministers, members of government, and subject matter experts to evaluate the details of the Riyadh Expo 2030 bid.
The mission is a mandatory prerequisite for a country’s candidature to be considered for election. Its task, when visiting a candidate city, is to assess the feasibility and viability of each one.
Saudi Arabia submitted its bid for the World Expo 2030 in October last year, in a letter sent by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the BIE.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the letter stated: “We live in an era of change and we face an unprecedented need for humanity’s collective action.”
Saudi Arabia’s desire to host World Expo 2030 goes hand in hand with Saudi Vision 2030, which was unveiled by the crown prince in 2016 and aims, among other things, to diversify the Saudi economy and develop the nation’s tourism and recreation sectors. Expo 2030 is scheduled to begin on Oct. 1, 2030, and continue until April 1 the following year.
As the crown prince noted in his letter to the BIE: “The 2030 World Expo in Riyadh will coincide with the culmination of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.”
If Saudi Arabia is selected to host the event, authorities plan to turn Riyadh and the rest of the country into a world-class venue for global culture, connectivity, and climate action.