US plans $60M pavilion for Expo 2020
dubai — The UAE-US relations received a strong boost on Wednesday as the US Pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai was unveiled. The mammoth project to be built at a cost of $60 million will see the US bringing in latest solutions and services to the nation, with top corporates like Pepsico joining as top sponsor and Virgin Hyperloop One to premier during the event on October 20, 2020.
Najeeb Mohammed Al Ali, executive director, Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, said: “The US pavilion promises to be one of the most visited and interesting of Expo 2020 Dubai. These pavilions, in combination with the many visitor experiences, will help attract the 25 million visits to Expo 2020 and leave a lasting legacy and impact on all our visitors. The US, along with other participating nations, will play a key role in delivering our ambition of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’.”
Representing the US government at the event were Philip Frayne, US Consul-General Dubai, and James Core, director of the US Department of State’s Expo Unit. They said: “We are excited by Pavilion USA 2020’s release of the first designs of the US pavilion and the announcement of their first sponsors. This is an important step in the United States’ journey to Expo 2020 Dubai. We encourage other companies, cultural and philanthropic organisations and citizens to learn more about opportunities to get involved.”
Frayne added that the current bilateral trade is estimated at $24 billion and expected to surge in the years to come.
“The US and UAE will jointly work in the oil and gas sector, nuclear power and defence industry in the years to come. Dubai is known to encourage business and gives opportunity to bring new ideas that help young entrepreneurs take that leap of doing business with ease. The emirate is known for its long-term vision and that has helped it to record robust growth,” added Frayne.
Construction on the pavilion will begin by mid-2019. The event also included the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Pavilion USA 2020, AmCham Dubai, AmCham Abu Dhabi and the — Photo by Shihab
US-UAE Business Council to promote the goal of engaging the private sector in the US pavilion.
In a joint statement, Anne Jaffrey, president of AmCham Dubai; Sharief Fahmy, chairman of the AmCham Abu Dhabi, and Danny E. Sebright, president of the US-UAE Business Council, said: “The MOU serves as the platform from which our members