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The Saudi capital left the South Korean city of Busan and the Italian capital Rome far behind in this election.
Published on November 28, 2023 5:57 p.m. Updated on November 28, 2023 7:24 p.m
Reading time: 1 min
A reception to promote Riyadh’s candidacy for the 2030 World Expo on June 19, 2023 in Paris. (LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP)
Riyadh will host the 2030 World Expo, the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) announced on Tuesday, November 28. In this election, the Saudi capital was well ahead of Busan (South Korea) and Rome (Italy). According to the BIE results, Riyadh won 119 votes, compared to 29 for the South Korean metropolis and 17 for the Italian capital, largely accounting for two-thirds of the 165 votes required. When the results were announced, there were cries of joy throughout the large Saudi delegation.
The event, which will attract millions of visitors, has been the subject of intense lobbying by the three candidates for months. The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, the South Korean President and the Italian Prime Minister were present at the file presentation in Paris last June. Fifteen human rights NGOs had called on the BIE to “vote” over Riyadh’s “horrible” human rights record.
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