Expo 2020 Dubai has been postponed by a year, the governing body of World Expos confirmed on Monday.

New dates have been set for October 1, 2021 and will run until March 31, 2022.

The announcement comes as countries around Europe begin to lift tough lockdown restrictions, while US President Donald Trump said he now believes as many as 100,000 Americans could die in the coronavirus pandemic.

On Monday, there has been more than 3.5 million confirmed cases, 247,000 deaths and 1.1 million recoveries.Expo 2020 Dubai has been postponed by a year and will begin on October 1 2021 and will run to March 31, 2022.

BIE members, the governing body of World Expos, approved the Expo 2020 Dubai delay as ‘right and responsible’ decision.

Expo organisers said the delay "allows all participants to safely navigate the impact of COVID-19. It also allows the World Expo to focus on a collective desire for new thinking to identify solutions to some of the greatest challenges of our time".

Member states voted remotely on the delay, proposed by the UAE Government at the beginning of April and recommended by the BIE Executive Committee on April 21. While the vote remains open until May 2, the two-thirds threshold was surpassed within a week of voting opening on April 24.

“I applaud the swift response by BIE Member States. Their support for the postponement of Expo 2020 Dubai – which will be formally approved on 29 May – is a renewed sign of solidarity.” said Dimitri S Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the BIE.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, said: "We are thankful to Member States for their continued commitment to contributing to a World Expo in Dubai that will play a pivotal role in shaping our post-pandemic world at a time when it will be most needed."

“This affirmation ... further strengthens our commitment to ... hosting an event that will capture the world’s imagination, when the time is right.”

SOURCE : NATIONAL AE