PARIS/LONDON: “Riyadh is ready.” That was the message from a high-level Saudi delegation who presented the Kingdom’s plan for Riyadh Expo 2030 in Paris on Tuesday. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih, the acting CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City Ibrahim Al-Sultan and Saudi Ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar all spoke at the 172nd General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions. “Our expo will be built by the world, for the world,” Al-Sultan said, adding that “the work had already begun. He guaranteed that by Feb. 2028 all preparations would be complete and Riyadh would be set to welcome 120 million visitors in 2030 if selected. He said Riyadh had experience in building world-class projects with the assistance of international businesses and was “on the road” to becoming a global, top-ten economy, a hub for finance, commerce, sport and entertainment. Prince Faisal said should the Saudi capital be selected as host in seven years’ time, Saudi Arabia’s location as a “bridge connecting north, south, east and west” would mean it could host a “truly inclusive” expo. #WATCH : The promo video for #SaudiArabia s #Expo2030 bid shown today at @bieparis GA #RiyadhExpo2030 #EXPO_وليالعهد https://t.co/h2xcEr6xs9 pic.twitter.com/0luTDIrSgm — Arab News (@arabnews) June 20, 2023 “It is a strategic priority for the Kingdom to deliver an expo built by the world, for the world, an expo which recognizes global diversity, and we seek the opportunity to organize an expo that continues the legacy of international exhibitions at a time when the international community seeks to prepare for a transition to a sustainable and more equal future,” he said. Al-Falih said Expo 2030 would create an investment opportunity “in line with the investment environment in Saudi Arabia, which knows no limits.” Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, Saudi Arabia is targeting investment of $3.3 trillion by the end of the decade, 30 percent of which would be in the city fo Riyadh, he said. “The Expo 2030 budget of $7.8 billion is catalytic to our broader Riyadh investment plan,” Al-Falih said. He said the private sector would be given a large role in organizing the event, and added that the expo site would be a “global forum for companies to search for opportunities in the Kingdom.” Tourism is a key pillar of the Vision 2030 plan, and would form an important part of a successful Riyadh Expo, Saudi ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar told the assembly. With that in mind, she said a special visa would be provided to individuals attending Expo 2030 in Riyadh. Today, I was privileged to present the closing remarks for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the World #Expo2030 . With its natural beauty, unexplored gems, diverse landscapes, a young & hospitable population, we promise to deliver the most extraordinary Expo in history. @bieparis … pic.twitter.com/4YiSEPQdH0 — Reema Bandar Al-Saud (@rbalsaud) June 20, 2023 The princess said the Kingdom was “a hidden gem, waiting to be discovered by the world” and was fully dedicated to organizing the “greatest expo in history,” while highlighting Riyadh as an “exceptional” global tourist destination. Saudi Arabia officially submitted its full bid to host the expo in October last year, and Riyadh is up against Busan in South Korea and Italian capital Rome, with the final selection set to take place in November. On Monday, the crown prince attended Saudi Arabia’s official reception in Paris, an important part of the nomination procedure, ahead of Tuesday’s presentation to host Expo 2030. France has already announced its support for Riyadh.