Visiting delegation visits Saudi Arabia’s vast proposed Riyadh Expo 2030 site

Members of the Bureau International des Expositions delegation have visited Saudi Arabia’s proposed Riyadh Expo 2030 site to see the capital’s masterplan for the venue – which covers about six million square meters – and witness the Kingdom’s soon-to-be launched Riyadh Metro.

A delegation arrived in Riyadh on Sunday to start a six-day evaluation process of the Saudi capital's candidacy for the world fair.

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On Wednesday, accompanied by Fahd Abdulmohsen al-Rasheed, CEO of the Royal Commission of Riyadh City (RCRC) at the KAFD Metro Station, they were introduced to the high-tech public transport system, that is at the heart of the city’s infrastructure plan, state news agency SPA reported.

The delegation also got a chance to discuss the significance of Riyadh city’s future mobility plans.

Members of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Enquiry Mission paid on Wednesday a visit to the proposed Riyadh Expo 2030 site, and were presented with the capital’s masterplan for the venue which covers 6 million m2. (SPA)

“We are integrating the Metro in the capital's intracity infrastructure, ensuring its connectivity to the main sites and accommodation hubs within Riyadh, as part of the city’s mobility initiatives within the Riyadh Sustainability Strategy,” said al-Rasheed.

“Such investments in the capital’s infrastructure demonstrate the support of our Leadership, and of all government institutions, behind the Riyadh Expo 2030 candidacy.”

For an exclusive experience of the fast-growing network, the BIE Enquiry Mission delegation took a ride on Line 4 of the soon-to-be-launched, 176 km long, Riyadh Metro network, which will serve the future Riyadh Expo 2030 site.

Eng. Saleh al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, also met with delegates, telling them: "The whole country is undergoing transformation, and the transport and logistics sector has a key role to play.”

“We have already launched five public transit bus networks across the country, and have developed an inter-city bus service network covering 200 cities and governorates. The Kingdom ranks first on the Global Competitive Road Connectivity Index, next to the USA and Spain."

Al-Jasser said Saudi Arabia plans to increase the Kingdom’s air transport capacity to be able to handle 330 million travelers by 2030, while serving 250 destinations.

Moreover, road and metro links will directly connect the Expo site to the airport and the rest of the city.

During the afternoon, the BIE Enquiry delegates held a meeting with representatives of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) at its head office in KAFD. They discussed the willingness of the PIF to partner with foreign companies in the areas of construction, cultural programming, events management, to deliver the best-possible World Expo.

In October 2021 Saudi Arabia announced its bid to host World Expo 2030 in Riyadh and has since made three presentations to the BIE.

Adel al-Jubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Envoy for Climate, also met with the BIE delegation and said the Kingdom’s ambition is to host the first World Expo to go beyond carbon neutrality and to achieve a net overall positive impact.

Al-Jubeir declared that Expo 2030 will contribute to the Saudi Green Initiative and the Riyadh Sustainability Strategy and everything would be done “to ensure Riyadh Expo 2030 follows the values of environmental protection”.

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