Dubai Expo 2020 congratulates Astana

UAE congratulated Astana, Kazakhstan, for being selected as the host for the International Expo in 2017, and wished them great success. The UAE also congratulated Liege, Belgium, for its strong commitment and very good campaign. The decision on hosting the event was announced this afternoon in Paris, France following the vote of the 161 members of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). UAE Minister of State, Reem al Hashemi, said, “Expo 2017 will be a formidable opportunity for Astana and for the world to meet, discuss and exchange on the important topic of energy. The UAE aspires to build on and continue the considerable progress made in energy and sustainability in its bid to host the World Expo in Dubai in 2020.” With the special importance energy and environmental problems in mind, the Republic of Kazakhstan selected the theme “Energy of the Future” for the Expo 2017. This theme will highlight the wide problems related to energy conservation and promote alternative energy sources including solar, wind, ocean and geothermal , which are today of increasing importance to humanity. From the UAE, Dubai is competing against four other candidate cities bidding to host the 2020 World Expo, including Ayutthaya (Thailand); Ekaterinburg (Russia); Izmir (Turkey); and Sao Paulo (Brazil). The winning city will be announced in November 2013 following a vote by the 161 member nations of the BIE. The Higher Committee for hosting the 2020 World Expo was formed by decree by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, in his capacity as Ruler of Dubai. Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group, serves as Chairman of the Committee. The Committee submits regular reports directly to Shaikh Mohammed on the outcomes, milestones, challenges, solutions, proposals and recommendations towards achieving the ultimate goal of ensuring success in hosting World Expo 2020. From KhaleejTimes