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29 March 2024

Euphoria in Arab media over win

Emirati women celebrate after Dubai was selected to host the 2020 World Expo, at the OECD in Paris. (AFP)

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By Staff

Newspapers across the Arab region congratulated Dubai for its historical victory to host the world’s Expo 2020 and many of them said the emirate deserved to be the winner.

All the Arabic language papers in the Gulf and other parts of the region carried the story as breaking news with pictures of Dubai while international news agencies, foreign newspapers and satellite televisions dedicated much time and pages to the event.

In the UAE, an American university professor said Dubai deserved to win the bid because it has proved its capability to beat crises and is a multi-culture society where all nationalities live in unison and cohesion.

“An historical accomplishment for the UAE,” the semi official Arabic language daily Alittihad said in a front page headline.

“Dubai emerges triumphant…the UAE will host the world Expo,” Emarat Alyoum Aarabic language newspaper said.

“The world crowns Dubai with Expo 2020,” the Sharjah-based Al Khaleej daily said, and Al Bayan added:”Sweeping historical victory for the UAE.”

Outside the UAE, the Kuwaiti Arabic language daily Al Anbaa congratulated Dubai for this “tremendous achievement.”

In Saudi Arabia, the Arabic language daily Aleqtisadiah ran an urgent story with many pictures of fireworks and celebrations in the emirate.

“Dubai has done it…fireworks adorn the emirate’s skies and people dance in the streets..Dubai has pushed hard to win the bid to host this great event and it has achieved its target and proved its capability and skill,” it said.

In Qatar, Sharq Arabic language newspaper carried a film of the voting in Paris and said :”Dubai emerges victories in its bid to host the world’s third largest event.”

Al Watan daily also ran a headline saying:”Dubai became the first Middle East city to host Expo which will attract massive investments.”

In Jordan, Al Rai newspaper reported in a front page heading that Dubai won in a “sweeping vote” while Al Rai and other Jordanian dailies reported the news.

Al Balad newspaper in Egypt ran the story under the UAE flag and said:”Dubai to host this prestigious event after beating Russia, Brazil and Turkey.”

Al Masrawi, another mass circulation Egyptian daily, carried a similar report while Al Masri Alyoum ran several pictures of Dubai’s skyscrapers and said:”the UAE wins the bid to host Expo 2020 and beats Russia.”

Al Quds newspaper in occupied Jerusalem said in a large headline :”Dubai emerges the winner… Dubai amazes the world.”

The London-based Saudi Arabic language daily Al Hayat said :”Dubai beats Russia and two other countries and win Expo bid.”

The paper also carried an article by Elias Abu Saab, deputy director of the American University in Dubai, in which he explained why the emirate won the Expo bid.

He says:”Why Dubai….because it has a strategic location which can be reached by a third of the world in four hours by air and by two thirds of the world in eight hours…

Why Dubai….because it has a massive potential in logistics and infrastructure, mainly its airport which was ranked as third in the world by passengers in 2012 when they exceeded 58 million…

Why Dubai…because it is a global business society…Dubai’s international financial centre alone is home to 18 of the world’s largest 25 banks and six of the world’s 10 most important companies…Dubai is also a global tourism destination and its Dubai Mall is the world’s largest, receiving more than 65 million visitors in 2012…

Why Dubai…because it is a safe multi-culture society whose all classes and ethnic cultures live in cohesion and unison without any problems…

Why Dubai…because the leadership realizes the importance of partnership between the public and private sector and with the whole world…

Why Dubai….because it is the gate to the emerging markets and is one of the world’s largest re-export markets with nine major ports…

Why Dubai…because it has always proved, under its leadership, to be capable to confront and overcome crises and to go ahead….

Here I quoted HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE vice president and prime minister, Ruler of Dubai, that “the word impossible has no room in our dictionary and that no matter how big the obstacles are, we will overcome them with faith, determination and courage.”