Saudi Arabia Bids to Host World Expo in 2030 to Raise Profile

(Bloomberg) -- Saudi Arabia intends to bid to hold the 2030 World Expo in Riyadh, the year that’s supposed to mark the culmination of its program to diversify the economy away from oil.

The bid letter was sent to the Bureau International des Expositions, the World Expo’s organizing body, according to a statement. It comes as the kingdom attempts to raise the country’s profile internationally. Additional details will be submitted in Paris in December. 

“The World Expo 2030 will represent an extraordinary opportunity to share with the world our lessons from this unprecedented transformation,” Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman said in letter. 

The UAE this year became the first Middle Eastern nation to host the World Expo event. Dubai spent at least $7 billion to prepare and expects 25 million visits, both virtual and physical, over six months. Expo 2020 was postponed to this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The crown prince is seeking to turn the conservative Islamic kingdom into an investment powerhouse and a global hub for business as part of his Vision 2030 plan. The country wants global companies to choose it as their regional base, plans free economic zones and has pledged to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions within its borders by 2060.

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