Expo committee switches from winning to delivering

DUBAI // A new body is likely to take over from the committee that masterminded the Expo 2020 victory as the task facing the UAE switches from winning the bidding process to delivering the event.

The Higher Committee for Hosting the World Expo 2020 was formed in February last year.

Its role was to lead the campaign, oversee the plans for the Expo site in Jebel Ali, promote the bid and generate support at home and abroad.

The committee has now successfully completed this job and the nature of the Expo challenge has changed.

A key part of the bidding process involved obtaining the support of member countries of the organisation that oversees Expo.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and his diplomats around the world played a leading role in this.

But now that the UAE has won there is much less need for this type of diplomatic activity.

Instead, the emphasis will now be on managing building work at the site in Jebel Ali and ensuring that the entertainment and other attractions are of the highest possible standard.

Responsibility for this is likely to be given to an existing body or passed to a specially created delivery organisation, say insiders.

It seems likely, however, that key members of the higher committee will continue to play a leading role.

Sources say a number of parties are jockeying for the honour of delivering the world fair, but it is understood that no decision regarding this has yet been made.

The final decision over who is given the responsibility for ensuring that Expo 2020 is the best ever will be taken at the highest level.

It is thought that many of the bid’s key partners will continue to be involved.

Sources say the plans for the site that are set out in the bid dossier are likely to evolve as new technology that did not exist when they were drawn up becomes available.