The Saudi capital Riyadh was chosen on Tuesday to host the prestigious 2030 Universal Expo, well ahead of its South Korean rivals Busan and Italian Rome in the first round of voting by the BIE (Bureau international des Expositions).
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It took only one round of voting to consecrate Riyadh as host city of Expo 2030. The Saudi capital won 119 votes, compared to 29 for Busan and 17 for Rome, easily two-thirds of the 165 votes required, according to the BIE results. When the results were announced, cries of joy resounded within the large Saudi delegation.
“ We are immensely proud of this result », welcomed the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. “ It is an expression of the confidence of the international community in what we have to offer, and we are committed to meeting expectations “, he said. He also welcomed that the organization of the Expo coincides with Vision 2030, a reform program aimed at reducing the kingdom’s dependence on oil.
A large victory from which Saudi Arabia expects economic benefits. In its modernization program, the country is seeking to develop the tourism sector, which is currently in its infancy. And usually, an Expo host city welcomes tens of millions of visitors during the six months of the event. Much more than a Football World Cup which only lasts a month: there were only more than a million to go to Qatar in 2022.
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Far from international isolation
But it is also a diplomatic success for the country. Like its Gulf neighbors, Saudi Arabia is seeking to increase the organization of major events. In 2029, it will host the Asian Winter Games. In 2030, the Universal Exhibition. And most likely the Football World Cup in 2034: the country is in fact the only candidate to the organization of this competition. And he could also enter the race for the 2036 Olympic Games.
Fifteen human rights NGOs called on the BIE last Tuesday to “ not to vote » for Riyadh due to its “ terrible » record in terms of human rights. But Saudi Arabia’s international isolation after the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi is only a distant memory.