Dubai on Wednesday became an official World Expo Host City as the 158th general assembly of the Bureau International Des Expositions (BIS) in Paris confirmed the emirate as host city of the next World Exposition in 2020.

The meeting, which started two-hour late due to incomplete quorum, ratified the Expo 2020 registration document, which set out detailed plans for the mega event.

The 168-member governing body numinously endorsed detailed plan to execute the World Exposition, which is considered world’s third largest global event after the Olympics and the World Cup.

It is first time in the history this mega event will be staged in the Middle East. Members of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee led by Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum travelled to Paris for the historic announcement, which marks the start of the next chapter in Dubai’s journey to 2020 and a new phase of increased activity. Details