Sustainability is the theme of Mozambique’s participation in Expo Dubai, and the country intends to take advantage of its presence in the United Arab Emirates to expand economic relations between the two countries, the Mozambican commissioner-general has told Lusa.
Participating in a world exhibition for the seventh time, Mozambique “is always guided by following the theme that each edition presents,” Miguel Costa Mkaima began by explaining.
Expo Dubai launched on October 1st, after being delayed a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Its theme is “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” in three areas: Sustainability, Opportunity and Mobility, which, in the form of petals, converge on the Al Wasl square, considered the ‘heart’ of the world exhibition.
“Mozambique chose the sustainability theme because it considers that it fits perfectly with our reality, especially in terms of the development of Mozambique, in the efforts that the government and the Mozambican communities have also made for development,” the commissioner-general for Expo Dubai explains.
“Sustainability fits well in this perspective,” and in the theme of the Mozambique Pavilion exhibition, which consists of “respecting nature, which is the greatest commitment for future generations”, he stresses.
“And this is the theme that Mozambique brought to participation in Expo 2020 Dubai: nature, man, and the future.”
This is also the first time that a world exhibition has taken place in that region of the globe.
“The fact that this is the first Expo to take place in this region has a specific importance, of course, since it is a region that has great potential in economic terms,” and in terms of its insertion in the world, Mkaima added.
“Mozambique has economic cooperation relations with the United Arab Emirates and we want to explore our presence, our participation in this Expo to increase and consolidate these relations and, naturally, expand them beyond the sectors where we are already cooperating,” broadening into new areas, he said.
As to expectations of Mozambican participation in the event, Miguel Costa Mkaima said he was “satisfied” with what he has so far seen at Expo Dubai.
“A massive participation by those who come here to visit the Expo, but not only: also people who come to see Mozambique, who have heard about Mozambique, but people who come with a certain interest in wanting not only to see, but to get to know in depth the cultural aspects of the our country, the opportunities that exist in our country, the riches that Mozambique offers,” he highlights.
“We believe that the outcome of these visits, of this exchange of information and experiences, will result in an expansion of this cooperation.”
“And Mozambique needs this because we want more investment, we want rational and adequate use of the resources we have. There are many resources, large natural capacities, and we have to have the necessary capacity for rational use. This is possible if we consolidate, if we deepen our knowledge and experience from other countries and from other peoples, like the people of this wonderful country, the United Arab Emirates,” Mkaima concludes.
Expo Dubai, which ends on March 31, 2022, is the first major global event since the start of the pandemic. A total of 25 million visitors are expected. Expo organisers dubbed the event’s first month a “great success”, announcing 2,350,868 visits from October 1st to 31st.
