With Expo and the Louvre, the UAE's future is shaping up

ABU DHABI- A U.A.E. paper has said that two unrelated events in Paris this week provided a peek at how the future will look in the U.A.E.’s two biggest cities. 

“One was Dubai presenting the master plan for Expo 2020. The other was the unveiling of part of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s permanent collection, which, after it has finished its run in Paris, will move to the U.A.E. capital late next year,” said The National in its editorial on Wednesday.

Both of these events will be momentous for the U.A.E., albeit in different ways. Hosting an expo is one of the few events that has a long-lasting impact on the host city, transforming its infrastructure and facilities, while also bringing new ideas and inventions to a global audience. Expo 2020 will act as a catalyst to drive development in the emirate. 

The Expo 2020 master plan was presented in Paris by Helal Saeed Almarri, the CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre and Expo preparatory committee member, to the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE), the governing body of the World Expo.

Dubai’s Expo Preparatory Committee’s figures estimate Euros 17.7 billion (AED 90.1 billion) will be generated between now and 2021, with more than 275,000 jobs being created in fields like aviation, construction, retail and transport. Over the six months the expo will be open, millions of people are expected to visit the site.

“The unveiling of the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s permanent collection in Paris, attended by French President, Francois Hollande, and Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, is similarly groundbreaking,” added the paper.

When the museum opens in Saadiyat Island’s cultural district before the end of next year, it will be the first step in the establishment of a world-class museums zone. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum will follow in consecutive years so that by 2017, Abu Dhabi will offer a range of attractions that will bring people here from all corners of the globe.

“These two events in Paris will profoundly affect the future of the U.A.E., not just anchoring the country’s reputation as a global tourist destination, but also by transforming the day-to-day lives of residents. Indeed, by 2020, the two cities ought to be connected by a high-speed rail link, further enhancing the Emirates as a destination, since both cities will be easily accessible, combining their appeal.” concluded the paper.-WAM