Paris, 29 November, 2023 (GNP): Riyadh will host the Expo 2030 world’s fair, marking another successful hosting achievement for a Gulf nation, following Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup last year.
Busan in South Korea and Rome in Italy were also contenders to host the world’s fair, a recurring event held every five years, drawing millions of visitors and significant investment.
Riyadh secured 119 votes, while Busan received 29 and Rome 17, according to results from the 182 members of the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) announced on Tuesday. Riyadh needed to obtain two-thirds of the votes to secure victory in the initial round.
Italian participants expressed strong discontent with the outcome, with Giampiero Massolo, the head of the Italian Expo bid, stating, “This substantial victory for Saudi Arabia was unexpectedly lopsided. It’s no longer about merit but about transactions.”
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Riyadh asked soccer champion Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al Nassr in the city, to convince people in a video before the vote. They want to host the event from October 2030 to March 2031.
The victory is being attributed as a great achievement for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious Vision 2030 plan, which aims to reduce the country’s reliance on oil.
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud mentioned, “We had an excellent team of ministers traveling globally, actively engaging with our counterparts to understand their expectations and what we should provide to earn their trust.”
