Busan, Riyadh or Rome? 2030 World Expo host to be revealed

Busan, Riyadh or Rome? 2030 World Expo host to be revealed

The Japanese city of Osaka is hosting the next Expo in 2025
The Japanese city of Osaka is hosting the next Expo in 2025. Photo: Philip FONG / AFP
Source: AFP

The host of the 2030 World Expo will be chosen on Tuesday, with Rome in Italy, the Saudi capital Riyadh and South Korea's Busan contending to welcome the showpiece event held every five years.

The World Expo -- which traces its history back to the 1851 Great Exhibition in London and the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris that saw the construction of the Eiffel Tower -- is a months-long mega event attracting millions of visitors that aims to respond to the specific challenges of the current time.

The hosting of the Expo is regulated by the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), whose 182 member states will vote for the winner at a conference in the French capital during the afternoon.

This year's event has been the subject of particularly intense lobbying from Italy, Saudi Arabia and South Korea, whose governments are all keen to have the honour of the 2030 World Expo.

Read also

Norway court hears lawsuit over state's oil plans

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has been at the forefront of his country's efforts to host the Expo, which would be the latest in a line of events to be held in the kingdom despite concerns over its rights record.

The kingdom is set to host the 2034 football World Cup after emerging as the only bidder for the event.

But Rome and Seoul have not stinted in their efforts either.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was in the French capital only last week to make a final pitch for Busan's bid, while Italy's far-right Premier Georgia Meloni has pressed Rome's cause in Paris and elsewhere.

'History of rights violations'

Awarding the Expo to Saudi Arabia could prove controversial.

Activists argue the kingdom cannot be rewarded for violations of human rights, including the 2018 murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Read also

Tax waivers, staff employment: Keyamo exposes unfairness in Nigeria Air deal with Ethiopian Airlines

Groups including MENA Rights Group, Freedom House and Paris-based NGO Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM) last week wrote an open letter urging against choosing Riyadh "given its appalling human rights situation".

French President Emmanuel Macron (R) has assured Saudi of support from Paris
French President Emmanuel Macron (R) has assured Saudi of support from Paris. Photo: Ludovic MARIN / POOL/AFP
Source: AFP

"By providing a global platform to a regime with a history of violating basic human rights and curbing freedoms, the international community risks sending a tacit message that such actions are acceptable," it said.

Saudi, one of the world's top executioners, put to death 112 people between January and October this year, according to Amnesty, while rights groups accuse it of stifling dissent.

French President Emmanuel Macron had already given Riyadh Paris's backing when he held talks with the crown prince at the Elysee in July 2022, a move that caused some irritation in Italy, France's neighbour and European Union partner.

Russia, Ukraine out

The host is chosen at the BIE's general assembly on Tuesday after the candidates each make a final presentation of their bid.

Read also

Why you should care about the budget crisis rocking Germany

If no candidate wins a two-thirds majority in the first round, the secret voting then goes to a run-off between the two top bids, with just a simple majority then needed.

Every member state -- large or small -- has a single vote, meaning a vast global campaign is needed to ensure victory.

Busan wants to hold the Expo from May to October 2030 on the theme "Transforming Our World, Navigating Toward a Better Future".

Rome plans the Expo in the same period to be about "People and Territories: Regeneration, Inclusion and Innovation".

South Korea made a final push for votes in Paris
South Korea made a final push for votes in Paris. Photo: Christophe DELATTRE / AFP
Source: AFP

A Riyadh Expo would be from October 2030 to March 2031 on the theme "The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow".

The most recent World Expo took place in 2020 in Dubai and the next World Expo is due in 2025 in Osaka, Japan, on the theme "Designing Future Society for Our Lives".

Other bids for 2030 came from the Russian capital, Moscow, and the Ukrainian city of Odesa.

Read also

Asian markets ease as US inflation comes into view

Russia withdrew its bid in May 2022, shortly after its invasion of Ukraine, while Odesa did not make the final shortlist of three announced in June.

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.