Sheikh Mohammed congratulates Riyadh on winning the World Expo 2030 bid

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, congratulated Saudi Arabia on winning the bid to host World Expo 2030 in the capital Riyadh.

Sheikh Mohammed said, “We congratulate the capital of goodness and glory, the capital of prosperity and stability, the beloved Riyadh, which has won the World Expo 2030 bid. We congratulate King Salman Bin Abdulaziz and his Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman for the world's vote to Riyadh to host the World Expo 2030.”

He continued, “Happiness of the Saudi people is our happiness and their success is ours too. Their hosting of the world in 2030 is a win for us, for the Arabian Gulf and for the region. Congratulations to Saudi Arabia.”

Riyadh on Tuesday won the right to host the 2030 World Expo, easily defeating rival bids from Italy and South Korea as well as overcoming objections from rights activists.

Needing only one round of voting and securing the necessary two-thirds majority of member states at the general assembly of organisers Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Paris, Riyadh won 119 votes, South Korea's Busan 29 and Italian capital Rome 17, the BIE said.