Hisham Farouk shares his thoughts on the recent World Expo 2020 win

On the 27th of November, Dubai was officially announced as the host for World Expo 2020.

The announcement brought a day of celebration for many people including myself as this day reflected Dubai’s ambition for the future. The bid known as “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” astounded the panel and many of us who were further exposed to all the great things that the UAE has achieved and plans to achieve. The vision of the leaders and passion of the people made this win a reality, a win which will truly put the UAE on the global map and further endorse that the UAE is the business hub of the MENA.

Not only will this be a first for Dubai, but this is also the first time that the World Expo will be hosted by a country in the MENASA region, therefore being a remarkable win and providing endless opportunities for the present and future population of the UAE. 

The UAE is full of culture, energy, opportunity and ambition which collectively made this an extraordinary candidate in the bid for World Expo 2020. It is estimated that this win would add $24 billion to the UAE economy and create innumerable opportunities that would be created due to the increased demand in various sectors namely leisure and tourism (with an estimated 25 million visitors expected to arrive), construction and logistics. 

This win will see the emergence of entrepreneurial businesses and dynamic SMEs who will work collectively to deliver the ambition that the UAE has in ensuring that World Expo 2020 is a memorable occasion. 

Sheikh Mohammed states that this “is a gain for the whole region and the world as it brings a global event of this magnitude to the doorsteps of a vast geographical area inhabited by approximately two billion people". I couldn’t agree more, that this remarkable and memorable win will not only support the current and future generation, but it will also benefit the millions of expats and entrepreneurial businesses, whilst creating a positive ripple effect which will be felt for generations. 

Reference:

Sheikh Mohammed hails Dubai's Expo 2020 win, accessed on 5 Dec, http://www.arabianbusiness.com/sheikh-mohammed-hails-dubai-s-expo-2020-win-528605.html#.UqB0n8QW0WI