The executive committee of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the intergovernmental organisation supervising World Expos, has agreed to propose the postponement of Expo 2020 Dubai to 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. The name, 'Expo 2020 Dubai', is to be retained, however. 

Delegates of the committee, from 12 member states, met virtually on 21 April to examine the change in dates requested by the UAE.

MEED previously reported that, on 30 March, the Expo 2020 steering committee had held a virtual meeting at which it was recommended that the event be delayed by a year.

• Expo delay is the best decision at a bad time

Changing the dates of an expo requires the support of a two-thirds majority of member states of the BIE, as per article 28 of the Paris Convention of 1928.

Voting will be carried out remotely between Friday 24 April and Friday 29 May.

Reem al-Hashimy, UAE minister of state for international cooperation and director-general of Expo 2020 Dubai, said in a statement: “We welcome today’s recommendation of the BIE executive committee to support a request by the UAE government and Expo 2020’s steering committee to postpone Expo 2020 for a year.

“Now the official process for agreeing a delay begins, and we look forward to working constructively with BIE member states, our friends, and partners to confirm the new date of 1 October 2021 when the Expo will open its doors, and the UAE will welcome the world.”