Sheikh Maktoum tours Pakistan and India pavilions at Expo, says economic activities take off

Inayat-ur-Rahman, Business Editor

Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, on Tuesday toured the pavilions of India, Pakistan and Singapore at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Sheikh Maktoum said that the diversity and the quality of innovations featured at the global mega event provide us with an understanding of how the world’s future is being shaped, as countries resume economic activity and race to compensate for the missed opportunities over the last two years.

During his tour to the India Pavilion at the Opportunity District, Sheikh Maktoum was briefed on the country’s rich ancient civilisation, aspirations for the future and the rapid growth of its economy.

The India Pavilion showcases the country’s five ‘Ts’ — Talent, Trade, Tradition, Tourism and Technology. The four-story pavilion structure explores everything from the country’s yoga and wellness story to its burgeoning space technology sector. Visitors to the pavilion are able to discover India’s wonderful art, culture and natural wonders, as well as the country’s array of business and investment opportunities.


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Sheikh Maktoum also visited the Pakistan Pavilion located at the Opportunity District, which showcases the country’s diverse environmental beauty. The pavilion offers a one-of-a-kind tour of the nation’s towering ‘peaks of progress’ in sustainability, sports, technology and much more. With a history spanning 7,000 years, ever-evolving with art, culture and diversity, Pakistan is one of the world’s best-kept secrets.

During the tour, Sheikh Maktoum was briefed on the main highlights in Pakistan’s journey towards the future through the pavilion’s huge interactive screens.

Sheikh Maktoum’s visit to Expo 2020 also included a tour of the Singapore Pavilion at the Sustainability District. The lushly-landscaped, net-zero energy pavilion showcases how Singapore has overcome geographic limitations to become a green, liveable and resilient city of the future.

Sheikh Maktoum toured the pavilion which brings a slice of Singaporean greenery to Dubai, creating a lush, fully explorable rainforest experience. Echoing Singapore’s vision of a City in Nature, the open-air pavilion unfolds across 1,500 square metres of soft tropical plant life, centred upon three striking, themed garden cones and capped by a solar canopy and hanging garden.

More than 771,000 visitors have visited the mega event since it opened its doors.


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Expo 2020 Dubai will be a vision of the connected cities of the future, with the global mega-event the ideal platform to bring together the very best smart city concepts under one roof. That was the message delivered by Helmut Von Struve, CEO Middle East for the multinational technology corporation Siemens.

Speaking during the latest installment of ‘En Route to the Expo’ video, an initiative of Dubai Chamber, the chief executive outlined how the forthcoming expo’s status as one of the first mega events to take place following the coronavirus outbreak puts it in a uniquely significant position, as it gives the world a post-pandemic starting point to usher in a new era.

“Expo 2020, Dubai will be the biggest major global event to take place physically after the pandemic. We have 192 participating nations and we expect to see the world come together again and to look into the future, to exchange ideas and to showcase innovations, technology and a connected vision for the future going forward,” said Von Struve.

Discussing how Expo 2020 Dubai will offer the opportunity to explore how some connectivity concepts are already becoming a practical reality in Dubai and across the UAE, Von Struve cited The Sustainable City, the Al Maktoum Solar Park and Masdar City as prime examples of how interconnected ecosystems, smart buildings and industries work together, and where the power of the Internet of Things allows for more informed decision making.

“Siemens, the premier partner for infrastructure digitalisation, is creating nothing less than a blueprint for smart cities - cities where buildings, houses, electrical networks, security systems and power sources all talk to each other via the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence,” he said.

“The idea behind smart cities is to enhance people’s comfort and convenience, safety and security, and to do so in a more environmentally sustainable way that reduces pollution and shrinks our carbon footprint. Expo 2020 will be a rare opportunity for both Siemens and Dubai to demonstrate what we and the world are capable of achieving,” he added.

At a time when the need for a collective response to essential global challenges is needed more than ever, Expo 2020 will leverage the convening power of World Expos and the UAE’s unique position as a global nexus to bring together 192 countries and millions of visitors, to inspire meaningful change and create a brighter future for us all.

Dubai Chamber is the Official Business Integration Partner for Expo 2020 Dubai and is commencing its programme of activities on the sidelines of the event.

Dubai Chamber’s videos released as part of its ‘En Route to the Expo’ and Business Connect series, can be viewed here, or on the websites and social media channels of Dubai Chamber and Entrepreneur Middle East. Swiss Pavilion: The Swiss Pavilion is celebrating the Space Week at Expo 2020 Dubai through a series of talks, workshops and exhibitions taking place on the 20th and 21st October 2021. Prof. Claude Nicollier, former and the first Swiss Astronaut will be present along with other international Space experts from the UAE, Switzerland, Japan, India and the US to discuss astronomy, lessons from Space, radio Astronomy Research & Development, among others.

The Space week is organized in collaboration with Swissnex, the global network connecting Switzerland and the world in education, research, and innovation, EPFL Space Centre (eSpace), ClearSpace, Space@yourService, UAE University, the Australian, Japanese and the Indian pavilions.

Manuel Salchli, Commissioner General for the Swiss Pavilion said: “Switzerland has a historic legacy in space science from the time of the first manned flight Apollo 11 landed on the moon. This is why this event is very important for us, as it is an opportunity to shed the light on the research, education and innovation in the field of Space. The presence of Prof. Claude Nicollier highlights the Swiss achievements in Space, something we are very proud of”.

The Swiss Space Week activities will revolve around enhancing sustainable development and use of Big Data in innovation. The Swiss pavilion will demonstrate innovation in sustainable space logistics and spatial exploration through the exhibition organized in the Fountains of Innovations. The focus on education will present how important is space technology transfer in achieving the UN SDGs, highlighting student initiatives of space innovation and eSpace during a workshop.  Under innovation, Switzerland will display ClearSpace, a startup born in the EPFL and selected by the ESA to lead a consortium to develop technologies for capturing and deorbiting space debris, which is spearheading sustainability in space.  ClearSpace is a first-of-its-kind project in the world and it will launch its first active debris removal mission in 2025.

Switzerland was the first country to confirm its participation in the Expo 2020 Dubai. The Swiss Pavilion offers a unique encounter with Switzerland. It showcases Switzerland as a country of scenic beauty and a leading hub of technology and innovation by presenting the excellence of Swiss universities, start-ups and companies as well as creating joint events with local partners.

The Swiss Pavilion relies on a public-private partnership model. It promotes Switzerland’s economic capacity and attractiveness to the UAE – the most important trading partner in the Middle East. It turns the spotlight on its high-quality products and services together with its partners Schindler, Rolex SA, Switzerland Tourism, Roche, Clariant, Novartis, Nestlé Middle East and North Africa and KGS Diamond Group Ltd and suppliers