Four countries have submitted their bids to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) to host World Expo 2030.
BIE, which is based in Paris, is the 170-member intergovernmental organisation in charge of overseeing and regulating all international exhibitions that last more than three weeks and are of non-commercial nature.
According to the BIE website, four countries have submitted competing candidatures to organise World Expo 2030 on different dates in 2030. These are South Korea, Italy, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia.
“The project examination phase for World Expo 2030 is currently underway, with each candidate having submitted a detailed candidature dossier to the BIE. The host country of World Expo 2030 will be elected by BIE Member States, gathered in a General Assembly set to take place in November 2023, on the principle of one country, one vote,” reads a statement on the BIE website.
South Korea proposed to host the global event in Busan from 1 May to 31 October 2030 under the theme: “Transforming Our World, Navigating toward a better future.” Italy proposed to host the global expo in Rome from 01 May to 31 May 2030 under the theme: “People and Territories: Regeneration, Inclusion and Innovation.” Ukraine bid to host the world event from 26 April to 14 October 2030 in Odesa under the theme: “Renaissance. Technology. Future.” Saudi Arabia intends to host the six-month event from 1 October 2030 to 31 March 2031 under the theme: “The Era of Change: “Together for a foresighted tomorrow.”
The bidding countries are currently canvassing for support from BIE member countries which include Zimbabwe. In this regard, earlier this month Saudi Arabia dispatched the Advisor at the Royal Court of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ahmad bin Abdulaziz Qattan to President Emmerson Mnangagwa seeking Zimbabwe’s support for its bid. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Frederick Shava on 5 September announced the Zimbabwean government’s support for Saudi Arabia’s bid.
A fortnight later, South Korea also dispatched a four-member delegation led by Kia Corporation chief executive officer, Ho Sung Song to Zimbabwe. According to zbcnews.co.zw the delegation’s mission included trade between the two countries and South Korea’s bid to host World Expo 2025.
According to the national broadcaster, Sung Song said on Wednesday this week: “Korea and Busan want to host the 2030 World Expo and we were respectfully asking the Acting President (Constantino Chiwenga) to support our bid. We also discussed several areas of trade cooperation which include the areas of mining,”
At the time of publishing this article, Zimbabwe’s response could not be readily established.
Japan was selected to host the 2025 edition of the five-yearly global during a secret ballot election at BIE’s 164th General Assembly on 23 November 2018 after beating Azerbaijan and Russia. The event is set to be held in the city of Osaka located in the Kansai region. The show is expected to run from 13 April to 13 October 2025 under the theme: “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.”
The event, which is set to be held on a site covering 1.55km2 in extent, is projected to attract 28 million people.
This is the third time that Japan will be hosting the World Expo. It hosted the global exhibition in Osaka in 1970 and in Aichi in 2005.