The Diplomat
King Philip VI, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, yesterday defended Malaga’s suitability as host of the 2027 International Exposition before the members of a mission of the International Bureau of Expositions (BIE) that is in Spain to evaluate the candidacy of the Andalusian city.
The evaluation mission arrived this Sunday in Spain to visit Madrid and Malaga throughout the week and until next Friday, September 30. The delegation, headed by the president of the Executive Committee of the International Bureau of Expositions, Alain Berger, and the secretary general of the BIE, Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, has scheduled institutional visits and working meetings with the authorities concerned.
The members of the delegation held a working lunch yesterday with José Manuel Albares at the ministerial headquarters of the Palacio de Viana, shortly after the minister received the National Commission of Expo Malaga 2027 at the headquarters of Marqués de Salamanca. During the lunch, which was also attended by the mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, and the president of the provincial council, Francisco Salado, Albares said that “the candidacy of Malaga is a national project that has the support and commitment of this Government”.
Subsequently, Pedro Sánchez held a videoconference meeting with the representatives of the mission at the Moncloa Complex (the President of the Government has tested positive for COVID-19). During the meeting, Sánchez stated that Spain’s capacity to organize major events “is a true hallmark of our country’s identity”, as demonstrated by the Seville Expo in 1992 and the Zaragoza Expo in 2008, the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992 or the COP25 World Climate Summit in 2019.
He also stressed that “there is no other city better than Malaga to organize Expo 2027” because the city’s bid is “solid, adequate and a real guarantee of success”, and assured that the Government of Spain guarantees the economic viability of the project, as well as the necessary support. Sánchez also informed that the candidacy has the solid support of the Central Government, the Andalusian Government, the Provincial Council and the City Council of Málaga, through the National Commission Expo Málaga 2027, and is an example of public-private collaboration, thanks to the support of more than 260 institutions, associations, federations and national and international companies.
Finally, King Philip VI received in audience Alain Berger and Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, who came to the Zarzuela Palace accompanied by the rest of the delegation of the International Bureau of Expositions.
Today, Tuesday, September 27, the delegation will be received by the First Vice-President of the Congress of Deputies and will visit the Economic and Social Council, Acción Cultural Española and the Prado Museum. This afternoon, the mission will move to Malaga, where tomorrow will hold a working meeting at the Malaga City Hall, with the participation of Francisco de la Torre, and take part in the reception hosted by the president of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, and the president of the Diputación, Francisco Salado. The work of the delegation will continue until Friday, September 30, when a meeting will be held with the municipal team and political groups in the Town Hall and a press conference will be held to conclude the visit.
Spain officially presented the candidacy last June 7 at the BIE headquarters in Paris and the first defense took place on the 20th of the same month before the 170th General Assembly of this organization. That was the first of three assemblies in which Malaga’s candidacy will have to be defended. The next ones will be held in November 2022 and June 2023, when the winning city will be announced. The Andalusian city will compete for the organization of the Expo with Minnesota (USA), Phuket (Thailand), Belgrade (Serbia) and Bariloche (Argentina). If the city wins, The Urban Age: Towards the Sustainable City Expo will be held in Malaga from June 5 to September 5, 2027.
