Monday, Aug 07, 2017

DUBAI:

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said he was encouraged by progress when he visited the Expo 2020 Dubai site on Monday.

Shaikh Mohammad also conducted a helicopter tour of the site to see the current state of construction.

He was greeted on arrival at the site by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman, Dubai Airports, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, and Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau Director General.

Shaikh Mohammad was briefed by department heads and directors on advancements. He underlined the importance of youth involvement in Expo, and praised young people’s work in planning the event and its legacy.

He said he was pleased to see the progress made by RTA in the construction of the Metro link to a new station on the Expo site, Route 2020, which will be one stop from the Al Maktoum International Airport.

He concluded by emphasizing the role of thousands of volunteers who will be recruited to ensure that the culture and values of the UAE will be reflected throughout Expo, which is expected to be visited by 25 million including an unprecedented 70 percent from overseas.

Sheikh Ahmed said, “His Highness was a driving force behind our successful campaign to win the right to stage the next edition of the World Expo in 2020. He has continued to be extremely supportive of our mission on our journey since then towards October 2020 and is always interested in our progress.”

Dubai Expo 2020 said in an oiperational report that with just over 1,100 daus to go, preparations for the Arab World’s first World Expo are on track and progressing well.

The statement highlighted progress in international development, with more than 120 countries laready having committed to take part.

The organisational body has announced four premier partnerships so far this year, taking its number of premium commercial partners to seven.

Construction on the three themed districts that will form the core of Expo are well advance,d with foundations complete and buildings due to emerge in the third quarter of this year.

Staff Report

Gulf News 2017. All rights reserved.