Congratulations pour in from all quarters as residents express joy

A spectacular fireworks display in Downtown Dubai at Burj Khalifa and also on Atlantis, Palm Jumeirah, marked the UAE's triumph in Paris.

Winning the bid to host Expo 2020 has secured Dubai’s place in history as the first country in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia region to be chosen as the host city of the World Expo.

Meanwhile, congratulatory messages and reactions have been pouring in from all parts of the world, region and the country from the moment the United Arab Emirates was announced winner of the World Expo 2020 hosting bid in Paris last evening.

Here are some of the congratulatory messages...

Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman, Roads and Transport Authority and member of the Supreme National Committee for Expo 2020 said: "I congratulate His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, their Highnesses the Supreme Council Members and rulers of the Emirates , Crown Princes and Deputy Rulers, and the people of the UAE and the Arab and Islamic nations."

"The selection of Dubai as a representative in the UAE to host the exhibition confirms the confidence that international organizations and institutions have in the reputation of Dubai, and its ability to organize international events, carry these out successfully. Dubai  will present to the world a distinctive and unprecedented Expo, because of its national infrastructure, and a long experience in the promotion of international communication."
 
Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties, said: “The UAE’s successful bid to host the World Expo 2020 is a powerful statement on Dubai’s positive and inspiring leadership, and testament to its enormous capabilities.

“His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has promised to host the best Expo in the history of the event, one that is committed to providing unprecedented opportunities for all visitors and participants." 

Sultan Butti Bin Mejren, Director General of the Dubai Land Department said: "Winning the Expo 2020 bid asserts UAE’s competency to lead development in the region due to its world-class infrastructure, highly efficient logistic services, modern legislative and regulatory frameworks and clear vision for the future.

"If we followed Dubai’s journey from a long time ago, we will find that it was a non-stop upward journey and this can be clearly seen when we look at the results achieved by our institutions and governments departments. We will continue to work at this pace while benefiting from the new prospects that will arise after winning the bid to organise the Expo 2020, and we will invest all what we have gained from this experience to achieve the development goals that we have set in our strategic plans."
 
Ali Rashid Lootah, Chairman, Nakheel said: "The great official support manifested in the directives of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the persistent follow up from UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum are the most important drivers behind this accomplishment.

"We will be honoured and proud to play our part in the delivery of World Expo 2020, which will promote and celebrate innovation, creativity and cultural diversity while encouraging global co-operation to introduce effective solutions for the challenges facing society."
 
Alan Robertson, CEO of Jones Lang LaSalle in the Middle East and North Africa, said: “We congratulate Dubai on its successful bid to host World Expo 2020. Through the government and private sector working collaboratively under the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the World Expo will now be in the UAE and the region for the first time. While the Dubai real estate market is poised for growth regardless of the 2020 World Expo, the success of this bid will act as the single most important influence on the real estate sector across the UAE in 2014.”
 
Ashish Panjabi, COO of Jacky’s Electronics said: “Dubai is clearly a city that knows how to host major events. The fact most of us probably have never been to an Expo or have ever known anyone who went to an Expo doesn't mean it doesn't deserve to be compared to major events like hosting an Olympics Games or hosting a FIFA World Cup."
 
Kasim Ahmad from Dubai, an employee at Jebel Ali Free Zone said: “It is a very happy day. We are all very excited. I just heard the news on radio.”

“It is an ideal platform not just for Dubai but for the whole country`s economy. We are only worried about the effects it can have on real estate and the rental market."

Rachel M, who works at Dubai Media City, said: “We have been waiting for this day for the last few months. There has been so much excitement in this city about the Expo 2020 compared to any other competing countries. Dubai deserves this win and it is now time to celebrate. I am just hoping that everyone will be able to benefit out of this. Hope our salaries also increase.

"The news of the win is a perfect year ender as Dubai and the rest of the UAE witnessed the economy bouncing back to from years of slowdown.
 
Charley Joy, another Dubai-based employee working with an multinational bank in Dubai Media City, said: “Great news. I hope it has something in it for me – increasing salary, better job opportunities in the market. I am assuming the rests are going to increase but that`s fine if we have a proportional increase in salaries,” said.

"I am very happy about it, and I was expecting it, actually," said Zein Kiftaro, a Syrian resident who works as a sales manager for an IT company.

"We have been pushing our staff towards achieving our target, which was a targeted marketing campaign based on the expected economic growth in the emirate. With Dubai winning the Expo bid, our dreams are coming true."

Kinana Homsi, a Syrian resident living in Dubai watched the countdown life on TV, and is excited about the outcome.

"This will provide many opportunities, new jobs, businesses, etc," she said. However, she also fears that prices in real estate will sky rocket. "This will affect us, I am afraid. I am hoping that this mechanism will go paired with salary increases, so we can actually enjoy the happiness of Dubai hosting Expo 2020, without any burdens."

Khurram Shahzad, a Pakistani real estate broker living in Dubai sees the future coming closer, as Expo 2020 will open new doors, set new horizons, and create a lot of opportunities. Rents may increase, but for him this is only a good thing.

"It means increased credibility. This will be very good in our business," he commented from Burj Khalifa, where he watched the fireworks.

Louise Liddell, a British national who lives in Palm Jumeriah said, "I am just so excited. I have been following the tweets for the last three hours. And, with one eye I have also been watching the live telecast. It's just great that Dubai won. It will bring so much attention to our city. This is a great city. And, the win is well deserved."

Andy Fordham, a sports and events promoter in Dubai, shared the excitement.

"It's fantastic. I've always believed that Dubai is a great city. It has won on its own merits. I believe this will set the stage for the Olympic 2024 bid. The win also means Dubai will become a complete city, and all infrastructure work will be finished. The roads and buildings will be 100% complete.And, hopefully it will also mean more cycling tracks in the city," he said.

"This win will accelerate the position of Dubai and it will become the best city in the world.

"As a resident I am very happy. I have been sitting up and watching TV all this while.

"I also hope this will not cause any negative impact on the real estate. I'm sure the government will not let that happen."

Melany Demetillo-Reyes from Phillipines feels the win is a great morale boast for Dubai. "I am so happy and proud of our city. Even though I do not know much about Expo2020, I'm just happy that we won. This will give Dubai a great platform and bring in a lot of employment opportunities," she said.

 

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