Expo 2020 organizers and steering committee participants explore postponement of the event by one year in view of COVID-19 impact worldwide’, as per the official statement.
Organizers of Expo 2020 Dubai have backed a proposal to postpone the event for one year due to the coronavirus pandemic
The announcement came on 30th March after a meeting between officials from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and foreign countries participating in the nearly six-month-long event that was due to begin in October.
According to Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and director-general, Expo 2020 Dubai says, “While everyone involved in Expo 2020 Dubai remains firmly committed, many countries have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 and they have expressed a need to Expo’s opening by one year, to enable them to overcome this challenge.”
Dr. Malick Diop, Commissioner General of Senegal at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Around the world, we can see the best of humankind as people work together to save lives and contain this virus. Expos are about the best of humanity and we look forward to coming together in Dubai when the conditions are right for what we confidently expect will be an incredible global event.”
Dody Edward, Commissioner General of Indonesia at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Expos are a place where the world comes together. After a year shaped by isolation and distancing, imagine the appetite for human contact and collaboration in 2021. Indonesia is hopeful the postponement will be passed by the BIE General Assembly and we can all look towards a brighter 2021.”
Justin McGowan, Commissioner General of Australia at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “If the BIE General Assembly decides to postpone it gives us another year to produce an even more inspiring World Expo. In a year’s time, the world will be a very different place and Expo will be an opportunity to highlight our united resilience and vision for the future. At the moment our collective energy needs to be directed elsewhere.”
“We will follow due Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) processes on making the decision to delay Expo 2020.”
However, a final decision on postponement can only be made by the BIE’s General Assembly. Article 28 of the BIE Convention stipulates that a change of dates requires a two-thirds majority vote from the BIE Member states.
A final decision will be made in June by member states of the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions, which awards the event.
Dubai Expo 2020 was the last major international event that was still officially scheduled to go ahead this year.
