190 nations confirm Expo participation

Number exceeds Dubai’s target with just under 700 days to go

Atotal of 190 countries have confirmed their participation in Expo 2020 Dubai, with less than 700 days to go for the event.

The milestone means that the expo has already surpassed the 180-nation commitment set out in its 2013 bid to host a World Expo for the first time in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (Measa) region.

The news came on the opening day of Expo 2020’s third International Participants Meeting (IPM), which will see hundreds of global delegates gather in Dubai to be updated on the delivery of the biggest event to be held in the Arab world.

Topics

Taking place on November 26 and 27, this year’s IPM will cover a wide range of topics relating to the design, delivery and content of country pavilions.

The agenda will include updates on site progress and details of how Expo 2020 is supporting the participant journey, as well as information sessions and panel discussions.

“In less than two years’ time, Expo 2020 Dubai will welcome the international community to the UAE for a six-month celebration of human ingenuity and progress, allowing millions of people to experience the world in one place,” Reem Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau’s Director General, said in a statement yesterday.

Countries that already unveiled their pavilion plans include Austria, Brazil, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, Poland, Switzerland, UK and UAE. More are expected to follow in the coming months.