For six months, October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021, more than 190 countries and 25 million visitors will participate at Expo 2020 Dubai, a global celebration of creativity, innovation, humanity and world cultures. The event is seen by experts as an invaluable platform for Nigeria to further open up her economy, encourage foreign investments and create jobs. It will also provide businesses with the opportunity to explore new markets, identify investment opportunities and build linkages, not only with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but also with the rest of the world. Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA reports.
It has the attributes of an international expo that will change the fortunes of participating economies around the world for good. For instance, by its size, scale, duration and visitor numbers, Expo 2020 Dubai, a global six-month celebration of creativity, innovation, humanity and world cultures looks good to achieve its goal of reinvigorating the economy and culture of the Middle East and give Nigeria and other participating African countries the “push” to tackle new challenges.
For one, the Expo site, located within the Dubai South district, close to Al Maktoum International Airport and easily reached from Dubai International Airport, boasts an intimidating 4.38 square kilometres. Approximately two square kilometres will form the Expo gated area, and the remaining 2.4 square kilometres will feature supporting amenities and facilities, including the Expo 2020 Village for participants and staff accommodation, warehousing, logistics, transport nodes, hotels, retail and a public park.
Also, the expo will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021, with more than 190 countries expected to participate. The six-month event will attract 25 million visitors; 70 per cent of them will come from outside the UAE. According to Vice President, Communications, Expo 2020 Dubai, Mr. Jon Bramley, Expo 2020 Dubai will contribute 1.5 per cent to UAE’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) within the period. This translates to AED 122 billion, about $33.3 billion. The event will create 500, 000 new jobs, among other huge economic benefits.
The World Expo is one of the global’s oldest and largest international events. It takes place every five years and lasts six months. It is a festival for all, where everyone can learn, innovate, create progress and have fun by sharing ideas and working together. The first World Expo was London’s Great Exhibition of 1851. But on November 27, 2013, the UAE emerged as the host country of World Expo 2020 during the 154th General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE).
BIE is the inter-governmental organisation that regulates and oversees World Expos, preserving the core values of education, innovation and cooperation on behalf of its 170 member states. Its delegation, which visited Dubai in February 2013 to examine the Emirate’s readiness for the largest exposition, was said to have been impressed by the infrastructure and the level of national support for the event.
Each expo revolves around its own theme to leave a lasting impact on the path of human progress. Accordingly, Expo 2020 Dubai was themed ‘Connecting minds, creating the future’. The Emirate said the theme was chosen because of its belief that innovation and progress are the result of people from various fields and backgrounds, who would not normally collaborate, coming together in new and unique ways to share ideas.
The theme was underpinned by the three interwoven sub-themes of Opportunity, mobility and sustainability, seen as fundamental in addressing the most pressing issues of the time. While the sub-theme of opportunity will seek to unlock the potential for individuals and communities to shape the future, mobility will create smarter and more productive movement of people, goods and ideas.
On the other hand, the expo’s sub-theme of sustainability was hinged on respecting and living in balance with the world to ensure a sustainable future for all. Expo 2020 Dubai is the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, and the first to be hosted by an Arab nation. The expo coincides with the UAE’s 50th anniversary in 2021, marking an important milestone for the UAE.
A window of opportunity for Nigeria
One of the aims of Expo 2020 Dubai was to contribute to achieving the UAE Vision 2021 by supporting the growth of tourism, stimulating the development of innovative businesses in the UAE, and enhancing the country’s international reputation as a location to do business.
Launched in 2010 by Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vision 2021 is a long-term plan that aims to make the UAE one of the best countries in the world by 2021 when the UAE would celebrate the Golden Jubilee of its formation as a federation.
Although the Emirate also said it remained committed to riding on the back of Expo 2020 Dubai to build a legacy that is sustainable, enduring and will set a benchmark for future World Expos, the event is also a prime opportunity for African countries, particularly Nigeria to collaborate, innovate, and work towards an inclusive and brighter future.
Indeed, this holds true, especially for Nigeria, which is seeking to open up her economy and encourage massive investment. The event offers an unprecedented opportunity for Africa’s largest and most populous nation to showcase her capabilities, boost her global profile and access a diverse group of 25 million visitors that are expected to attend the mega event.
The Marketing and Corporate Communications Director, Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), Mr. Rami Halawani, underscored the need for Nigeria and other African countries to latch on the Expo. “Africa is rich in energy and mineral resources, but lacks the capital, resources and infrastructure to bring this natural wealth to the market.
“The UAE has access to the capital required by Africa to unlock the potential of its natural resources as well as the infrastructure to sustain economic growth,” he said. He added that Dubai remains a global gateway to Nigeria and other African markets, which is why the Chamber operates four representative offices within Africa. They include Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique and Kenya. The Chamber is also studying the possibility of expanding into Nigeria, Angola, Uganda and the Central African markets.
Halawani, who spoke with select reporters from Africa and India during a ‘Business in Dubai FAM Trip’ organised by Dubai Commerce Marketing, recently, also said Dubai Chamber was working with her African offices to organise trade missions to Dubai, which have been joined by African business leaders that are actively looking for UAE business partners.
“Through our trade missions, events, international offices, workshops, research, we continuously try to provide businesses with the opportunity to explore new markets, identify investment opportunities and build linkages.” he said.
The fact that many developed countries are said to have confirmed their participation at the expo means that the opportunities for shared thinking, for collective development, and for beneficial trade and commerce have never been greater.
Some of the buoyant economies that have confirmed participation include United Kingdom (UK), United States, Germany, Russia, China, India and Saudi Arabia, among others. They will be joined by Nigeria and other African countries that have also confirmed their participation in Expo 2020 Dubai.
Some of them include Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Lesotho, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Togo.
Already, UAE, which is hosting the event, said it wants Expo 2020 to serve Africa’s interests and provide a platform for connections to be made by, and for, its African partners whether they be government, business or visitors.
For Nigeria and other African countries that will participate at the expo, the robust UAE-Africa trade relations will be a plus. According to Halawani, several UAE firms have established a presence in Africa and there is strong interest by businesses in the UAE that are eyeing expansion opportunities across the continent.
He listed some of these companies to include DP World, Carrefour, and Lulu. Halawani also said Dubai, in particular, has historic and strong trade links with African countries and can be a strategic partner for other regions that are looking to develop their trade and investment ties with the continent.
“Dubai will serve as a strategic hub linking resource-rich Africa with capital-rich regions such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and Asia and provide foreign businesses with easy access to fast-growing markets in the continent,” the DCCI spokesman emphasised.
The GCC is a regional political organisation comprising the energy-rich Gulf monarchies-Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It is a political and economic alliance of six countries in the Arabian Peninsula.
Nigeria signs up to Expo 2020 Dubai
Interestingly, Nigeria has since announced that she will join the UAE’s Expo 2020 Dubai. The country’s participation was confirmed in a letter delivered by Nigeria’s Ambassador, Mohammed Dansanta Rimi, to the Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
Rimi reportedly said: “Expo 2020 Dubai will be an unmissable opportunity for Nigeria to showcase the hard work we are doing to ensure economic growth and progress for our country in both the short and long term.
“We want to show the world how we are working to improve the lives of our youths and people, while opening up our economy and encouraging foreign investment – and the Expo will be the ideal platform for us to do so.”
By this, it means that Nigeria will have its own pavilion as part of Expo 2020 Dubai’s one nation, one pavilion policy – making Expo 2020 the first time in the 168-year history of World Expos where every country will have its own pavilion. Dozens of nations have already revealed the design, theme and visitor experience of their pavilions, with more being announced regularly.
The Nation learnt that at the last count, more than 26,000 suppliers from 150 countries have registered for the expo. This includes Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), which continue to be a priority in getting contracts. so far, fifty-six per cent of all Expo 2020 contracts have been awarded to SMEs.
To date, Expo 2020 has awarded AED 15.32 billion in contracts, with AED 2.4 billion benefitting SMEs, supporting expo’s aim to foster innovation and support small businesses.