Dubai – Masaader News
Will Expo 2020 Dubai be delayed ?
This question is exposed now after the coronavirus spread, three sources familiar with the matter said that Expo 2020 Dubai is expected to be delayed by up to a year due to the global coronavirus pandemic, according to Reuters.
Organizers estimated last year that 11 million overseas visitors would attend the event, billed as a showpiece of culture, business and technology with pavilions from 192 countries plus concerts and other events.
The Expo 2020 steering committee, comprising of officials from the United Arab Emirates and foreign countries participating in the event, are expected to recommend a delay when they meet virtually on Monday later in the afternoon.
An Expo spokesman declined to comment.
A final, binding decision would be made at a later meeting of member states of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), which awards the event, though it is unlikely they would go against the recommendation, two of the sources said.
Organizers have been considering delaying the event by at least a few months as the pandemic, which has infected over half a million globally, wreaks havoc on the global economy, the sources said.
Countries have closed their borders, imposed curfews and some industries, such as aviation, have ground to a near halt, making it extremely difficult to host any event.