KHALEEJ TIMES, Saturday, Aug 29, 2020 | Muharram 10, 1442
Expo 2020 country pavilions to be completed by year-end: BIE
Emirates:
The construction of all country pavilions for Dubai Expo 2020 will be
completed by end of this year and the UAE is working on developing
guidelines to ensure a Covid-free Expo site.
Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), which oversees and regulates World
Expos, said preparations for the mega event have continued in recent months in
adherence to the precautionary measures taken by UAE authorities.
"All participating country pavilion construction is set to be completed by the
end of 2020, with the BIE and its member states, the UAE government and the Expo
organiser jointly developing guidelines to ensure a safe and Covid-free Expo
site," the body said.
A four-day virtual meeting of organisers and participants of Expo 2020 was held
this week to exchange dialogues directly and ensure the successful delivery of
the event. More than 190 countries participating in the next World Expo took
part in the virtual meeting.
Expo 2020 Dubai has been delayed a year due to the outbreak of Covid-19; the
six-month-long mega event will now run from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
However, it will keep the name "Expo 2020 Dubai".
"Expo 2020 Dubai's core purpose - to bring the world together to develop
solutions to challenges that affect us all - will be even more relevant when the
Expo begins on October 1, 2021," said Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, UAE Minister
of State for International Cooperation and Director-General of the Expo 2020
Dubai Bureau.
"Preparations for Expo 2020 Dubai are continuing on site and in countries around
the world. While Covid-19 has affected us in many different ways, the organiser
and participating countries are finding new and creative means to interpret the
theme and plan their pavilions," said Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, secretary-general
of the BIE.
He added that as the situation evolves daily, the site's operational principals
are to be further defined and tweaked over the coming months to adapt new
developments.
"I believe that by spring 2021, we should all have a much better understanding
of the site and pavilion operational requirements, based on solid facts
concerning the evolution of overall situation, new preventative measures and
technologies as well as medical advancements," he said following the four-day
meeting.
For the first time in the history of World Expos, construction will be completed
well in advance of the opening day by December of this year, he said, adding
that "we will study, with the help of global experts, the conditions that must
be met for safe visitation of the site and pavilions and adapt our visitor
experience plan to deliver an incredible Expo".
Sticking to 25M
visitor target
With major medical advancements expected in the coming months concerning the
pandemic, organisers are sticking to the 25 million visitor target for Dubai
Expo 2020.
"We firmly believe that we will see huge advances in preventative interventions
and medical treatments in the coming months. After all, how far we have come in
the few months since Covid-19 was recognised as a global pandemic. That's why,
for now, we are sticking with our expectation of 25 million visitors because the
world will be very different in just a few months, let alone the next 13 months
that we have until the event time," Al Hashimy said in a message following the
meeting.
"I assure that the UAE is absolutely ready to deliver on a world-class event
whatever the size of our physical and online audience. Over the course of last
few days, we are preparing for - and it is our duty to prepare for - all
scenarios so that whatever happens we can deliver the best possible event for
that circumstances," she added.
Discounts for
participants
In response to requests from participating countries about reducing certain
costs, Al Hashimy said they have coordinated with the Dubai Electricity
and Water Authority to ensure a 15-month cap on their electricity connection
fees.
"This is the latest in a series of concessions and relaxation that we have
delivered in order to reduce costs from our telecommunication packages with
partner etisalat to authorise inspection costs related to permits."
She added: "When you meet your construction deadlines and complete pavilions
this coming December, we can close our site and stand down the Expo construction
workforce of which we are extremely proud and which we are very protective."
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