Cairo (People’s Daily) - The United Arab Emirates has officially requested to postpone Expo 2020 Dubai due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) will consider a proposed change of dates for Expo 2020 Dubai, beginning October 1, 2021 and running to March 31, 2022, as formally requested by the UAE Government, said a statement from Expo 2020 Dubai on social media. Adding that further to this week’s agreement by the Steering Committee to explore options for a postponement, BIE has confirmed that a decision will be made by the Executive Committee meeting on April 21 and by two-thirds majority vote of BIE Member States.

Dubai, known for hosting hundreds of conferences annually, has already scrapped a string of cultural and entertainment events in recent weeks over the spread of the coronavirus.