The general commissioner of the France Pavilion has said that France would be willing to come to a consensus on a one-year postponement of Expo 2020 Dubai, as it would be a responsible way to protect public and safety.

The announcement came following his participation in the Expo 2020 Dubai Steering Committee of the College of Commissioners General, which is made up of Expo 2020, the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), and around thirty participating countries, including France.

In a statement, the General Commissioner said that the Steering Committee of the College of Commissioners General explored the idea of postponing the World Expo 2020 Dubai from its original dates of October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021, to a year after the scheduled dates.

He added that he used the opportunity to reiterate France’s preparedness to come to a consensus on the subject. Now, procedures require that two thirds of the BIE member countries, including France, agree to postponement before it can be implemented, he explained.

COFREX (Compagnie Française des Expositions) is tasked with managing France’s participation at the event, and the statement said that it would adapt to the new timeline, while continuing to build the France Pavilion under the Emirate authorities’ health and safety rules for construction sites in Dubai.

Erik Linquier – Chairman of COFREX and Commissioner General for the France Pavilion said: “We recognise the organisers: Expo 2020 and the United Arab Emirates, for their quick response to the extraordinary circumstances everyone is facing.

“Bringing together all nations in one place to combine the innovations which unite us will be even more vital than ever once this pandemic is behind us. We remain fully committed to playing our role in making the World Expo a memorable and unique event for everyone to experience and enjoy.”