Dubai, UAE: According to a press communiqué on the Expo 2020 Dubai website, France has officially confirmed its commitment to the Expo, joining a growing number of nations who have publicly announced their participation.

The communiqué said that a letter confirming the participation was sent from French Prime Minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, addressed to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The letter, it further said, was delivered to His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, by Pascal Lamy, French delegate to the 2025 World Expo.

Commenting on France’s confirmation, Sheikh Ahmed said: “France, of course, has staged several Expos, including in 1889 when Gustave Eiffel’s famous tower was unveiled to the world. That lasting mark on humankind is a hallmark of World Expos and we are working hard here in the UAE to ensure that our first to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region can be similarly impactful.”

Pascal Lamy added: “France is proud to have presented its candidature to the World Expo 2025 and has already made important steps to build a strong and coherent project, showing its will to revive its historical ties with the tradition of the World Expos.

“In that perspective, working closely with the inspiring project of Expo 2020 Dubai will definitely help France succeeding in building and promoting its 2025 World Expo project.”

The communiqué highlighted that bilateral trade between France and the UAE reached USD five billion in 2016, and the UAE is France’s second-largest export destination in the Gulf, with exports mainly comprising food, aeronautics, consumer luxury goods, and electrical and mechanical equipment.