The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) has announced that the UAE has made an official request to postpone the Expo 2020 Dubai scheduled to take place in October due to the coronavirus outbreak. A twelve-month postponement has been requested.

The Paris-based intergovernmental organisation said that the UAE government has taken the decision following in-depth discussions between the Expo 2020 Dubai Steering Committee and the BIE on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and in solidarity with participating countries.

The BIE said on its website that its Executive Committee will hold a virtual meeting on 21 April to discuss the options for a change of date. The proposal must be approved by two-thirds of the 170 member states, with a final decision expected in June.

Dubai had hoped to attract about 25 million visitors to the six-month event, which costs billions of dollars to stage. The next scheduled Expo will be held in Osaka, Japan in 2025.

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