The International Bureau of Exhibitions said that more than a two-thirds majority of the members of the Bureau voted in favor of delaying Expo 2020 Dubai for a year, indicating that the vote that started on April 24 will remain open until May 29.
The office added in a press statement posted on its website that it is scheduled to be approved to postpone the Expo 2020 Dubai in the period from the first of October 2021 to March 31, 2022 after reviewing the results of the voting permanently.
After assessing the unexpected impact of "Covid-19" on public health, economic activity, and the restrictions of the global movement, the Executive Committee agreed collectively to recommend approval of the UAE's request to postpone the international event and to retain the name "Expo 2020 Dubai".
It is noteworthy that changing the dates of any international expo requires the support of the member states in the International Bureau of Exhibitions by a two-thirds majority (according to Article No. 28 of the Paris Agreement of 1928).
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first international Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, and the largest event ever held in the Arab world, with the participation of 192 countries and a number of companies, multilateral organizations and educational institutions.