Malta is likely to back Saudi Arabia’s bid to hold the World Expo 2030 in Riyadh when the host city is elected next month. Malta is not alone to snub Rome, a fellow EU member state, since France publicly declared its support for Riyadh last year. Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo was in Riyadh last week for the World Tourism Day celebrations organised by the UN’s World Tourism Organisation and Foreign Minister Ian Borg met his Saudi counterpart in October last year. The Saudi Expo bid is part of Prince Mohammed’s international charm offensive to boost the kingdom’s image and influence on the world stage. The World Expo was first held in London’s Hyde Park in 1851 and the global event has long been an opportunity to showcase the hottest innovations of the day, including the world’s first telephone by Alexander Graham Bell.

Source: Libya Today October 02, 2023 07:40 UTC