The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William arrived on Wednesday in the UAE. Dubai to be precise on his first major overseas tour since 2019.
His itinerary will include:
-Joining in events showcasing British talents at the Dubai Expo 2020
– Visiting the event on Thursday for UK National Day.
– Taking part in the Queen’s baton relay for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, which is passing through the event on the way to visit Commonwealth nations.
The Prince who arrived on a commercial flight tweeted his comment saying: “Excited to be arriving in Dubai to celebrate the UK at Dubai Expo and discuss the vital issue of working together with the UAE and international partners to achieve a more sustainable world with earthshotprize and united for wildlife. W”
The event which was initially scheduled to take place in 2020 was postponed to October 2021 due to the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic.
The Dubai government has so far spent approximately $7bn or £5.2bn on the event in which about 190 countries will be showcasing their cultures and innovations.
A spike in tourism and investment is anticipated as nearly 25million visitors are expected to grace the event.
Nonetheless, there has been criticism of the event because of the UAE’s human rights record.
The European Parliament last year went further to urge member states not to participate in the Expo and companies to withdraw their sponsorship.
A resolution against the emirate cited what it described as the “systematic persecution of human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers and teachers speaking up on political and human rights issues in the UAE”, as well as the country’s “inhumane practices against foreign workers” who constitute 80% of the population.
The UAE foreign ministry however rejected the resolution, stating that the allegations it contained were “factually incorrect”. Insisting that the country’s laws provided for the fair treatment of all citizens and residents.
Britain on the other hand is a strong ally of the oil producing nation which consists of seven gulf states that were formerly part of the British Empire.
During his visit, the Prince will learn more about Initiatives protecting wildlife in the region. He will also get the opportunity to promote his Earthshot Prize which is an environmental award and his United for Wildlife initiative aimed at tackling illegal wildlife trade.
