BIE carries out first Technical Visit ahead of Expo 2030 Riyadh

The Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, has completed the BIE’s first Technical Visit to Riyadh since the election, in November 2023, of Saudi Arabia as host country of World Expo 2030.

The four-day visit included technical meetings focused on reviewing plans for the Expo and coordinating the preparation of the Expo 2030 Riyadh Registration Dossier.

On 1 May, the Secretary General of the BIE was received by H.R.H. Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Royal Commission of Riyadh City (RCRC). Meetings were also held with H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, and H.E. Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistic Services.

The BIE delegation also met with key officials involved in the Expo 2030 project, including H.E. Engineer Ibrahim Al-Sultan, Acting CEO of RCRC, H.E. Mohammed Al-Suraysri, Secretary of the Expo Higher Committee and H.E. Yasser Al-Rumayyan, Governor of the Public Investment Fund.

Since the election of Saudi Arabia on 28 November 2023 during the 173rd General Assembly of the BIE, preparations have been coordinated at the highest level to prepare for the World Expo. These efforts include the initiation of proceedings related to Expo infrastructure as well as the development of the Registration Dossier of Expo 2030 Riyadh, the next step in the organisation of the Expo.

Drawing from the candidature dossier, the Registration Dossier will present a detailed plan for the implementation of the Expo, including legislative and financial measures, the Expo site Master Plan, and legacy plans. Once submitted to the BIE and reviewed by Member States, the General Assembly will be able to formally register Expo 2030 Riyadh, allowing Saudi Arabia to invite international participants via diplomatic channels and begin preparations in earnest.

The BIE Secretary General indicated: “On all levels, Saudi Arabia is demonstrating its firm commitment to collaborating with the BIE and its Member States in making a genuine success of Expo 2030 Riyadh. I am eager to enter the next chapter of this story as the Registration Dossier comes together and as the project gains momentum.”

Organised under the theme “The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow”, Expo 2030 Riyadh aims to welcome 197 countries and 29 international organisations between 1 October 2030 and 31 March 2031.

In June, a delegation from Saudi Arabia will, for the first time since its election as host country, present a progress report on Expo 2030 Riyadh to BIE Member States, during the 174th General Assembly of the Organisation.

World Expos, officially known as International Registered Exhibitions, are global gatherings of nations addressing universal challenges of our time. These unparalleled global events offer a journey inside a chosen theme through engaging and immersive activities. Taking place every five years and lasting up to six months, World Expos welcome tens of millions of visitors, allow countries to build extraordinary pavilions, and transform the host city for years to come.

The most recent World Expo, Expo 2020 Dubai, took place under the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, and received over 24 million visits. The next World Expo, Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, will take place between 13 April and 13 October 2025, under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”.