Expo 2020 Dubai organisers said they are positive about welcoming millions, as vaccinations are administered out around the world.
Reem Al Hashimy, director general of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau and UAE Minister of State for International Co-operation, said she was optimistic of the situation improving as more and more people are inoculated globally.
“We are hopeful that in the next five months we are going to see a better and stronger overall picture,” she told CNBC.
"With a strong vaccination rollout in different parts [of the world] we are actually beginning to see finally the strong impact of vaccination and reduced ... prevalence of disease in society.
Vaccination is something that we're encouraging everybody to do. But we're not enforcing it on the regular tourist, or the regular visitor
“We may still end up with vortexes here and there that still remain difficult. But, by and large, we are hoping for more of a recovery.”
Ms Al Hashimy later told Bloomberg Daybreak that she would encourage everyone to get vaccinated and that the entire Expo 2020 workforce would be.
"Currently, vaccination is something that we're encouraging everybody to do, [for] all of our workforce it's going to be mandatory vaccination," she said.
“But we’re not enforcing it on the regular tourist or the regular visitor," she said.
Ms Al Hashimy said testing would be in place for visitors at various stages.
She gave the example of more than 170 foreign delegates who met in Dubai to discuss final preparations who were PCR tested on arrival at the airport, then tested ahead of the summit, followed by a rapid test on the day.
"Testing is an important measure but it's not foolproof. And that's why we're being very conscious of social distancing and also very conscious of masks."
She was also asked whether the event could be cancelled in the event of a worsening Covid-19 situation.
"No. We're not cancelling October 1, 2021. We're going to host this event, it's going to be a spectacular and great event," she told Bloomberg.
"This has been a 10-year journey. Everybody is keen on having this Expo."
Last month, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, said all foreign country representatives and pavilion staff, many of whom will live in Dubai for nine months or more, will be offered a Covid-19 vaccine.
Engineers and workers from dozens of nations are completing work on pavilions across the Dubai South site and planning events to attract tourists and residents.
The six-month expo begins in October. Organisers expect 25 million visits, with more than 190 countries confirming participation.
"Across 182 days, we remain confident that we will be able to attract that number," Ms Al Hashimy said.
Expo 2020 was postponed by a year because of Covid-19.
Ms Al Hashimy said that while the coronavirus situation had worsened in several countries, there was improvement in many others.
A strong vaccination programme in the US and plans for summer travel within Europe reflected the positive effect of the inoculation drives.
“There are many pockets of the vaccination [drive] that will help ... populations recover and [will] be resilient to the disease,” she told CNBC.
The UAE is in regular conversation with governments, including the UK and the US, about travel bans that have restricted movement.
Strict rules, including social distancing, mask-wearing and managing visitor numbers, will be in place across the site and the city.
Ms Hashimy said she was optimistic and committed to delivering a successful event.
“We are realistic and we are practical. We are trying to find a balance between doing the right thing by our overall health and global health,” she said.
“It is important that livelihoods as well be taken into account and it is important that we learn to live responsibly with this virus.”
Match info
Uefa Nations League Group B:
England v Spain, Saturday, 11.45pm (UAE)
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Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
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Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Fixtures - Open Men 2pm: India v New Zealand, Malaysia v UAE, Singapore v South Africa, Sri Lanka v England; 8pm: Australia v Singapore, India v Sri Lanka, England v Malaysia, New Zealand v South Africa
Fixtures - Open Women Noon: New Zealand v England, UAE v Australia; 6pm: England v South Africa, New Zealand v Australia
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer