Dubai hosting of Expo 2020 will provide job opportunities

Dubai’s hosting of World Expo 2020 is expected to provide more job opportunities in the services sector for residents and citizens, said Reem Ibrahim Al Hashimi, Minister of State and Managing Director of the Higher Committee for Hosting the World Expo 2020 in Dubai. In an interview conducted by Fabrice Valserre of French magazine Valeures Actuelles, Al Hashimi said a committee has been set up to study all issues related to hosting of the Expo. She stressed the importance of organising Expo in Dubai, expressing her hope that winning of the bid bears huge potentials  to highlight Dubai’s preparation to deal with expected challenge. She noted that in case of selecting Dubai, it would be a first time to host an international expo in the Arab World, the Middle East, North Africa and India, referring to the support Dubai received from the Arab League. Al Hashimi expressed her pride of Dubai’s cultural diversity, a city which hosts 200 nationalities, adding that they live in harmony, and “This contributes to enriching culture and history of the UAE community,” she said. Regarding hosting Expo 2020, the minister said there are plans for new infrastructure to be added to the current one.  She added that the allocated budget for development of infrastructure ranges between $2 billion to $4 billion in case Dubai wins the bid. She added that Dubai is rallying votes of allies and partners to help it win hosting of International Expo in decisive moment in November 2013 in Paris. The French journalist was invited by the National Media Council to assess Dubai’s preparations to win the bid to host Expo 2020.