Dubai expects to fund the infrastructure for the Expo 2020 using funding from its government and foreign direct investment.

“We do expect funding come. Significant funding for the infrastructure [for Expo 2020] will come from the government, but there will be FDI [foreign direct investment],” said Helal Saeed al-Marri, Director-General, Dubai Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) speaking at MEED’s Destination Dubai 2020 event on 28 January.

“We have been approached by governments and other organsiations. So we are looking at our options.”

The Dubai government will fund the development of projects needed for the expo. “Specific infrastructure that will link to the site will have a special budget,” says Al-Marri.

The delivery of the infrastructure for the expo will be overseen by a committee that is chaired by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum, who reports directly to Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.

That committee will coordinate the work of the various government agencies that will be relied upon for delivering infrastructure. “The expo site requires specific developments,” says Al-Marri. “Various divisions of the government are responsible for delivering this infrastructure, and they have been mandated. On the project side, things are in place.”