Saudi Arabia has contacted the UAE to thank the country’s leadership for support in its bid to host Expo 2030.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said UAE support confirmed the strength of the partnership between the two countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
“The Saudi Crown Prince, during a telephone call, expresses his thanks and appreciation to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid for the UAE's support for the kingdom's request to host Expo 2030 and what His Highness showed in this regard, which confirms the strength of the partnership and co-operation between the two countries,” SPA tweeted.
In a tweet, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said the Emirates would give its full support to Saudi Arabia's bid, and that "experience we gained during the seven years of preparing for Expo 2020 will be available to our brothers".
"The effects of the Expo will extend for years, and the success of the kingdom is a success for the whole region. All the best to my brother, Mohammed bin Salman, in this project," he said.
Crown Prince Mohammed further spoke by phone withSheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, during which he expressed his thanks and appreciation for the UAE's support.
Sheikh Mohamed wished the Kingdom success in its Expo bid and added: "It will be a success for us all".
On Friday, Saudi Arabia said in a letter to the secretary general of the Bureau International des Expositions, the World Expo’s organising body, that it was looking to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh.
Prince Mohammed said: “We live in an era of change and we face an unprecedented need for humanity’s collective action.
“It is clear that the whole world, as a collective, needs to work together to foresee the future and address, with its brightest minds, the challenges and opportunities that emanate from this change.”
Prince Mohammed also said the 2030 World Expo in Riyadh would coincide with the culmination of the kingdom’s Vision 2030, an initiative that aims to move the country away from oil and diversify its economy.
Expo 2030 will take place from October 1, 2030, to April 1, 2031. The theme proposed by Saudi Arabia is: “The era of change: leading the planet to a foresighted tomorrow".
Dubai is the host of Expo 2020, where organisers have set a target of 25 million visits for the fair over six months.
