For the first time in the 170-year history of World Expos, the African Union will be participating as an official partner and every African nation has its own pavilion at the Dubai edition, which opened on October 1.
Expo 2020 Dubai will showcase the continent’s vast potential – including its innovations, business opportunities and incredible art, culture, heritage and natural beauty.
For six months from October 1, more than 190 participating nations, including every country in Africa, will gather in the UAE to broaden horizons and exchange ideas that inspire action to tackle real-life challenges and spur positive change.
Expo 2020 is expected to open up new markets, offering unrivalled opportunities for African countries to reach an international audience (an estimated 25m visitors), seek #investments and forge new partnerships that will reinvigorate their economies.
Africa’s participation at Expo 2020 is a testament to the long-standing relationship between the UAE and Africa, a statement said.
Africa’s population of more than 1.3 billion is predicted to double by the middle of this century, potentially rising to four billion people by 2100.
How the continent embraces its accomplishments and overcomes its challenges – from the global health pandemic to climate change, sustainable food supplies, and equal access to the basic human rights of education, digitalisation and healthcare – will have enormous implications in the continent and beyond.
Also read: Why Africa? – Dubai initiative highlights untapped opportunities in West Africa
Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and director-general of Expo 2020 Dubai, said:
“Africa is the future – not just for Africans, but for the entire world. The youngest, fastest-growing continent on the planet is brimming with promise, and the global community has a shared responsibility to ensure it grasps that opportunity for the good of us all.
“Huge strides have been made since the Organisation of African Unity was founded in 1963, and we will continue that momentum at Expo 2020, where Africa and everything it has to offer will be accessible to the world in new and unexpected ways – encouraging connections, boosting collaborations and helping drive widespread progress and prosperity.”
Citizens of all countries can visit the #UnitedArabEmirates if they are fully vaccinated with one of the World Health Organization-approved Covid-19 vaccines.
To get into the Expo itself, all those aged 18 and over will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test. Free testing will be available to ticket-holders on site.
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