Expo 2030 goes to Saudi Arabia: International vote of confidence

Saudi Arabia’s winning bid to host the World Expo 2030 is a standout regional event, offering a glimmer of hope amid the prevailing frustration caused by the ongoing Gaza conflict. News like this provides a ray of optimism for the Middle East’s future, a future that some adventurous individuals might not want to see unfold.

The conflict in Gaza isn’t the only challenge in the Middle East; there’s another equally important struggle, differing in tools and roles. It’s the battle between the past and the future, development and violence, peace advocates and warmongers. Essentially, it’s the choice between the region progressing towards construction, development, prosperity, and flourishing or descending into violence, wars, conflicts, and tensions. The positive side is that in our region, there are those who can consistently light a candle for us during the darkest times. This was evident in the UAE hosting the COP 28 summit and Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic efforts culminating in winning the Expo 2030 bid. Additionally, Qatari diplomacy showcased its ability to achieve breakthroughs in the Gaza war through ceasefire arrangements, offering a brief pause for providing necessary humanitarian aid.

The significance of Saudi Arabia’s Expo 2030 win lies in crowning years of diligent work within the vision of the Kingdom’s 2030 plan. This effort not only showcases the Kingdom’s organizational capabilities but also provides a major global platform to display the monumental developmental progress achieved throughout Saudi Arabia. Another crucial point is that the vote in favor of Saudi Arabia hosting Expo 2030 reflects the world’s confidence in Riyadh’s ability to organize this major global event. It also underscores strong global support for the Kingdom’s plans and developmental visions. Saudi Arabia has become a rising developmental force, whether within the G20, joining the BRICS bloc, or playing an influential role in the OPEC and OPEC+ organizations, where Riyadh exerts a tremendous influence in ensuring the stability of global energy markets.

For those following the development plans of Saudi cities, a quantum leap awaits the Kingdom in the coming years, covering infrastructure and investments. Notably, Riyadh is implementing 68 initiatives with investments of around $92 billion to become one of the most sustainable cities globally. Hosting Expo 2030 is expected to be a new driving force added to the existing economic development engines in Saudi Arabia. Such major global events turn into strategic goals for organizing countries to maximize their economic and investment returns.

A key indicator related to Saudi Arabia’s bid to host Expo 2030 is, in fact, a global vote of confidence not only in the Kingdom’s organizational capabilities but also in its ability to lead the world towards more communication, closeness, and building bridges in economic, cultural, technological, and investment fields. Expo is the most prominent global event with a history spanning more than a century and a half, and here lies the value of the chosen theme by Saudi Arabia for the exhibition, “Together We Shape the Future.” The Kingdom can offer the world a wealth of developmental experiences and lessons after nearly a decade of change. The exhibition serves as a major international platform to showcase creative thinking in various fields, including architecture, technology, modern techniques, tourism, and innovative industries. It is noteworthy that Saudi Arabia has allocated more than $350 million as support for over 100 developing countries to encourage their participation in Riyadh Expo 2030, embodying the Kingdom’s desire to present an unprecedented edition of this historic exhibition, being organized for the second time in the Middle East.

Expo Riyadh 2030 is a new qualitative leap whose positive impact will not be limited to Saudi Arabia alone but will extend to the Gulf Arab region and the Middle East. It pushes towards progress and development and achieves an important goal against advocates of violence and chaos. It serves the cause of coexistence, openness, peace, security, and stability. The people of the region all look forward to such pioneering initiatives, providing the youth with hopes for a better future. They hope for someone working to create an atmosphere where future generations can live in safety and enjoy the wealth of their countries and resources. Moreover, the exhibition offers Saudi Arabia a golden opportunity to solidify its pivotal role and strategic position regionally and internationally.