Why Is Mohammed bin Salman Mobilizing His Forces in Paris to Host Expo 2030?

In an extended visit that lasted for ten days, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman set foot in Paris on June 16, 2023, as part of his soft power campaign to host a global event.

Among the prominent issues discussed during the meetings at the Elysee Palace between French President Emmanuel Macron and bin Salman was the matter of hosting Saudi Arabia’s Expo 2030.

On June 19, 2023, bin Salman himself participated in the hosting ceremony for Expo 2030 organized by the Royal Commission for the City of Riyadh at the Grand Palais in Paris.

Representatives from 179 member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the organization responsible for the World Expo, attended the event as part of the relentless efforts to persuade them to nominate Riyadh for hosting Expo 2030.

So why is the prince striving vigorously to organize this event? Why did he choose Paris as a strategic hub for managing his campaign? And what obstacles will he face?

 

Pressure Lobbying

On June 12, 2023, Intelligence Online reported that Saudi Arabia had chosen the French company Hopscotch, a Paris-based public relations firm, to oversee Saudi lobbying efforts and manage the campaign to secure Riyadh’s nomination for hosting Expo 2030.

It mentioned that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a number of ministers to Paris in mid-June as part of the efforts to establish a strategic bilateral partnership with France for this event. The report highlighted Riyadh’s vigorous drive towards the global event.

Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid al-Falih arrived in Paris on June 19 to co-chair the French–Saudi Investment Forum organized by the MEDEF International with French Minister of Foreign Trade Olivier Becht, in coordination with Hopscotch as part of its plan to support Riyadh’s bid for Expo 2030.

During his speech at the forum, al-Falih announced that the budget allocated by the kingdom to host Expo 2030, for which Riyadh has submitted its candidacy, is $7.8 billion.

Hopscotch, on the other hand, aimed to attract more than 600 people to the Bureau International des Expositions in Paris to meet with Saudi ministers and officials responsible for the file.

The selection of the city to host Expo 2030 will be determined through a voting process based on the principle of “one country, one vote” in November 2030.

Riyadh intends to secure a majority of votes in its favor before the voting process, with a particular focus on obtaining the support of African countries, which represent nearly one-third of the total votes.

French-Saudi business organizations such as the Saudi–French Business Council (CAFS), led by its president Mohammed bin Laden, will attend, along with approximately 10 Saudi ministers or individuals closely associated with them, who will travel to Paris during that period. Their task will be to promote Saudi Arabia’s hosting bid.

Bin Salman heavily relies on ministers of culture, tourism, and trade, as well as Ibrahim bin Mohammed al-Sultan, the newly appointed CEO of the Royal Commission for the City of Riyadh, according to Intelligence Online.

Bin Salman, who directly oversees the project, aims to make Expo 2030 and the UNESCO headquarters platforms for showcasing the Saudi Vision 2030 strategy.

This strategy comprises a series of projects aimed at making Saudi Arabia a frontrunner in its fierce competition with the United Arab Emirates, especially since the latter hosted Expo 2020.

 

Soft Power Weapons

Bin Salman started moving early, as in June 2022, he appointed the former French diplomat Maurice Gourdault-Montagne to kickstart his campaign in Paris.

This came after Gourdault-Montagne left his position as the head of the ethics committee at Avisa Partners to become the senior advisor to the Boston Consulting Group.

On May 16, 2023, the Middle East Eye (MEE) said Mohammed bin Salman is confident that victory is in hands.

He even attempted to persuade Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni to relinquish Rome’s hosting of Expo 2030 after the two countries enhanced their relations following the lifting of Italy’s arms sales embargo on the kingdom, according to MEE.

This was the primary objective behind bin Salman’s attendance at the first summit titled “New Global Financial Pact,” organized by Macron in Paris on June 23, 2023. The summit was attended by more than 20 African heads of state, who bin Salman particularly targeted as their countries represent nearly one-third of the voters in the Expo 2030 hosting selection.

This clearly indicates that the Saudi Crown Prince will spare no effort in his pursuit of hosting Expo 2030 as a significant and pivotal event in his political journey, especially since he witnessed Dubai hosting Expo 2020 and Qatar, his fierce rival, hosting the 2022 World Cup.

 

The Importance of the Expo

Hence, the question here is: Why does Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman seek to host this exhibition? Why does he give it such attention, mobilize his team, seek support from lobbying groups, and communicate with world leaders about it?

The exhibition lasts for six months and attracts millions of visitors, including individuals, companies, organizations, and governments, who come to explore the pavilions and events held within it.

Internationally, Expo is ranked as the third most important event after the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games in terms of economic impact.

Historically, the first Expo was held in 1851 in the British capital, London, under the theme “The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations,” with the aim of promoting international relations and highlighting the importance of cultural diversity and its role in enriching technological industries.

At that time, the exhibition attracted about 6 million people, and its revenues were invested in the construction of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The latest edition of Expo, titled “Expo 2020 Dubai,” which began in early October 2021 (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), was appealing to Mohammed bin Salman, leading him to seek a similar version in Riyadh.

Hosting Expo has brought the United Arab Emirates several strategic gains. Firstly, it allowed the participation of representatives from 191 countries and attracted 25 million visitors from around the world.

Additionally, around 80,000 hotel rooms were booked, boosting tourism, investment, and the economy.

The official website of the Expo 2020 Dubai launched by the UAE stated that the exhibition attracted a significant number of investors and top businessmen, leading to numerous global partnerships between Emirati and foreign companies.

The real estate market in the UAE witnessed a significant improvement in demand for luxury villas, high-end units, and waterfront properties, especially in Dubai, with the influx of visitors attending the event.

Expo also enhanced the quality of transportation services and infrastructure projects associated with it.

Therefore, the Saudi Crown Prince sees the exhibition as of utmost importance from multiple perspectives, including its economic significance and its potential to attract investment. Expo serves as an opportunity to improve Saudi Arabia’s image, which was severely affected following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul in 2018.

 

Obstacles Facing bin Salman

Ironically, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who strategically made Paris the center of his campaign for Expo 2030, does not forget that Macron also played a role in breaking his international isolation following the assassination of Khashoggi.

The strength of the relationship between bin Salman and Macron became evident at a time when the Crown Prince was internationally isolated.

The ties between the Saudi and French regimes stood out in the darkest moments, particularly on November 30, 2018.

During the G20 Summit held in Argentina, bin Salman found himself isolated from all leaders and presidents.

Most of them avoided taking photos or engaging in one-on-one conversations with him, except for a few leaders, including Macron, who approached him and had a conversation for about 5 minutes.

Macron reassured him that he would address the Khashoggi issue, while the Crown Prince merely smiled.

Now, during the Crown Prince’s pursuit of Expo 2030, despite the significant difference in power dynamics, he is currently much stronger than he was during the Khashoggi crisis. However, he faces fierce human rights objections and obstacles to hosting the global event.

On May 17, 2023, 12 human rights organizations requested that the organizers of Expo 2030 not allow Riyadh to host it. They argued that the kingdom’s “poor” human rights record could tarnish the event.

Leading these organizations is the MENA Rights Group, which contacted the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) based in Paris, calling for the exclusion of Saudi Arabia from the race.

They justified this demand by citing continuing human rights violations in the kingdom, including the continued use of the death penalty, silencing women’s rights defenders, and targeting dissidents abroad.

They made it clear that if Saudi Arabia’s nomination passed and the country ended up hosting Expo 2030, it would simply mean that the world is turning a blind eye to the kingdom’s appalling record.