Expo 2030, why does France betray Italy for Saudi Arabia?
The Bureau International des Expositions has admitted the candidacies for Expo 2030 of South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Italy to the final phase. The lopsided role of France. The point of the Agi
The race to win Expo 2030 becomes three, the Bureau International des Expositions today meeting in the General Assembly in Paris has admitted to the final phase the candidacies of Busan in South Korea, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and Rome for Italy. Thus, the dream of Odessa is interrupted, with Ukraine for over a year partially occupied by Moscow's troops.
THE ROME-RIAD CHALLENGE FOR EXPO 2030
In view of the final vote on November 28, the dispute seems to be flaring up above all between Rome and Riyadh, with the capital of the Saudi principality appearing to have an advantage thanks to the almost unlimited resources available to the candidacy.
The contest to grab the votes of the delegates of the 179 countries, between a focus on urban regeneration and one on environmental sustainability, against the light also seems to concern geopolitical structures and respect for human rights. Today the three master plans were presented for the last time to the delegates of the Bie, with 20 minutes available for each nomination.
MbS LOBBYING
Government leaders were also personally present to accompany the dossiers. For a week now, Saudi prince Mohammad bin Salman has been stationed in his Paris residence to carry out a lobbying activity, also topped off by a bilateral agreement with French president Emmanuel Macron. France seems oriented towards supporting the Saudi project, at least in the first round of voting, and could also drive the choices of the Maghreb and Central Africa.
MELONS IN PARIS AT MACRON
Italian premier Giorgia Meloni stressed on her arrival in Paris today that it is "a great opportunity for Rome" in the context of "a very closely contested match". Then, in front of the delegates of the Bie, he pressed the button of the "guarantee of equal opportunities, also from an economic point of view, for the widest possible participation in our Expo".
The Roman review, underlines the premier, "will not end after the 6 months of exhibition, the pavilions will remain available to all nations that request them, to allow them to maintain their own representation, to set up research and technology centres" . Then the invitation to vote: "Choose Rome, let's bring history together into the future".
With Macron "we have not discussed the Expo, it seems to me that France has long since given its support to Riyadh", explained the premier at the end of the bilateral meeting at the Elysée. "I do not allow myself to judge – he concludes – we focus on those who have not yet expressed their preferences".
THE ROME PLAN FOR EXPO 2030
The mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri is also clear: “There is a diplomatic match in which the countries are also investing heavily. We think that our method is not that of an Expo that can be bought but that is motivated on the basis of the quality of the project and on the fact that Rome becomes a city at the service of all countries".
Meanwhile, Rome has two international testimonials in support of the candidacy: Samantha Cristoforetti and Russell Crowe. The astronaut spoke directly to the Bie to underline that: "Sharing, including is in our DNA as Italians". While the Gladiator actor asked to vote for Rome because it is not "only the capital of Italy" but "one of the capitals of the world".
Rome puts into play an ambitious masterplan, curated by the archistar Carlo Ratti. The idea is to regenerate the area of Tor Vergata, where the 2009 World Swimming Championships were to take place, starting with the skeleton of Calatrava's Vela, which has remained unfinished since 2011, with an urban boulevard that passes through a series of parks reach the historic center.
An exhibition therefore under the banner of urban reconversion that looks to the smart city to renew a difficult quadrant of the city's suburbs. Among the strengths of the project is the largest urban solar park in the world.
SAUDI ARABIA IS FAVOURED
The game is open, even if the economic resources available to the Saudi candidacy appear almost unlimited. In recent years, the Persian Gulf countries have achieved a lot in terms of major events: between the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, Dubai Expo 2020 took place – delayed due to the Covid pandemic – while in December 2022 The World Cup was held in Qatar.
Therefore, the trio with a nova Expo wouldn't be surprising. The East, on the other hand, will host the next edition of the exhibition, in 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Perhaps an appointment too close to be able to repeat immediately after with a review in Korea. The game is open, in less than five months the final vote.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/mondo/expo-2030-italia-francia-arabia-saudita/ on Wed, 21 Jun 2023 06:12:37 +0000.