Bid goes to vote today amid a groundswell of support
A MAXIMUM OF THREE ROUNDS OF VOTING IS EXPECTED TO TAKE TWO TO THREE HOURS
We had an opportunity to try and bid for the Expo before, but we have always walked on the path to excellence and delivered on our many commitments even before we bid for it. The UAE is a country which naturally attracts people across many platforms.
Today is the day Dubai has prepared for the past two years. Voting to decide which nation will host Expo 2020 begins today in Paris at 5.30pm UAE time. The voting process consists of a maximum of three rounds and is expected to take two to three hours.
The tremendous support generated among Emiratis and expatriates showcases the UAE’s commitment to hosting the global event, but in the final analysis the decision hinges on a majority of votes from the 168 delegates.
The others bidding for the right to host are Izmir in Turkey; Ekaterinburg in Russia and Sao Paulo in Brazil. The crucial ballot to determine the winning bid takes place at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development centre ( OECD) after a series of 20- minute presentations by the bidding candidates.
“As always we are confident about what we do in the UAE,” said Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates airline and Group and Chairman of the Higher Committee on World Expo 2020, who is heading the bid delegation.
“We had an opportunity to try and bid for the Expo before, but we have always walked on the path to excellence and delivered on our many commitments even before we bid for it. The UAE is a country which naturally attracts people across many platforms.” Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is in Paris to help support the bid said Dubai’s chances of clinching the right to host Expo 2020 seemed bright.
He offered his analysis behind today’s voting process, which will determine the outcome of Dubai’s bid to host the Expo 2020.
“At the end of the day, it all boils down to political play and ties,” said Shaikh Abdullah. “I think these issues vary from one representative to another and from one country to another. It depends on the concern of the day. Sometimes it depends on who is caught up in traffic and doesn’t make it to the polling booth in time to cast the vote. There are so many variables that still need to be accounted for after the campaigning is over.”