Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, will host the 2030 World Expo

Riyadh will host the 2030 Universal Expo, the International Exhibition Bureau announced on Tuesday, November 28. The Saudi capital was well ahead of Busan (South Korea) and Rome in this election. Riyadh won 119 votes, compared to 29 for Busan and 17 for Rome, easily two-thirds of the 165 votes required, according to the BIE results. When the results were announced, cries of joy resounded within the large Saudi delegation.

The event, which will attract millions of visitors, had been the subject of intense lobbying by the three candidates for months. During the presentation of the files last June in Paris, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, the South Korean President and the Italian Prime Minister were present. Fifteen human rights NGOs had called on the BIE to “don’t vote” for Riyadh because of its “terrible” record in terms of human rights.