Saudi Arabia wins vote to host 2030 World Expo

ISSY-LES-MOULINEAUX, France — Saudi Arabia will host the 2030 World Exhibition after winning a vote in Paris on Tuesday.

Riyadh’s candidacy was endorsed by delegates from 119 countries during a ballot organized by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the Paris-based organization which oversees World Expos.

Riyadh was competing with South Korea’s Busan and Italy’s Rome, which got 29 and 17 votes respectively out of 165 total delegates who showed up for the vote.

When the outcome was announced at the venue, supporters of the Saudi candidacy cheered and started singing.

Saudi Arabia secured more than two-thirds of the total votes, meaning that under BIE rules there was no need to organize a second round of balloting.

Riyadh’s victory comes after a long campaign to convince BIE delegates via a diplomatic offensive and opulent events. Saudi Arabia was particularly proactive in approaching other countries to propose investment opportunities, according to BIE delegates who were granted anonymity to tell POLITICO the inside story.

French President Emmanuel Macron declared last year France’s support for the Saudi candidacy, a move which earned him criticism from some EU countries, but also NGOs campaigning against human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia.

The World Expo is a big-money opportunity to showcase nations, while generating cash, jobs and a global buzz. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s goal is to convince the world he is pushing an absolute monarchy run by Islamic law in a more socially progressive direction, embracing cutting-edge sectors such as green technology and health care.