Arab News

RIYADH: South Africa announced it was backing Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the World Expo 2030 on Monday in a statement issued after the visit of President Cyril Ramaphosa to the Kingdom.

According to the statement, Ramaphosa expressed his confidence in Saudi Arabia’s ability to host the expo “with the best levels of innovation, and to provide an unprecedented experience in the history of this global event.”

Saudi Arabia submitted its bid for the World Expo 2030 in October last year, in a letter sent by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the international organizing body for the global event since 1931. 

If Saudi Arabia is selected to host the event, authorities plan to turn Riyadh and the rest of the country into a world-class venue for global culture, connectivity and climate action.

The Kingdom has already earned significant support for its bid from more than 60 countries and organizations around the world, including China, France, Turkiye, Greece, Armenia, Cuba, dozens of other African nations, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.