Dubai, UAE: In a press release available on its website, Expo 2020 Dubai has announced that it will award 47 construction contracts worth AED 11 billion in 2017, as preparations for the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia continue to gather pace. The construction contracts, the press release said, are open to local, regional and international businesses.

It further said that 98 non-construction contracts, totalling more than AED 360 million, will also be distributed before the end of the year.

Expo 2020 Dubai said that it awarded over 1,200 contracts in 2016, investing more than AED two billion in the economy.

The press release said that a meeting, led by Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, reviewed Expo procurement to date, and discussed tenders to be awarded in the months ahead.

The meeting, it revealed, was also attended by Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee members, His Excellency Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of the Dubai Municipality, and His Excellency Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC), as well as members of the Expo 2020 Dubai Real Estate & Delivery and Procurement Departments.

“We are committed to working with leading businesses from across the world in order to deliver an exceptional event of this scale, on time and on budget,” said Al Hashimy. “This is particularly true when it comes to the development of the physical site, which will live on long beyond 2021 to become an anchor for the UAE’s developing knowledge economy in Dubai South.”

“But just as importantly,” she added, “the non-construction contracts to be procured this year will allow us to spread the investment made in the Expo as far as possible and enable local, regional and international businesses of all sizes to be part of what will be the most inclusive and international event in Expo history.”

Ahmed Al Khatib, Vice President of Real Estate & Delivery, Expo 2020 Dubai, said, “While 2016 was an important year for design, 2017 is when the momentum of construction will really build, ahead of international participants beginning work on their pavilions in 2018.”

He added, “These important contracts will help us meet our target of completing the majority of construction with a year to go before Expo 2020 Dubai opens its doors in October 2020, providing the opportunity for all-important readiness testing.”

The Expo 2020 Dubai eSourcing Portal includes details of upcoming tender opportunities, as well as announcing contracts already awarded.