AKIPRESS.COM - Switzerland has become the first country to officially sign up for the Dubai Expo 2020 event, said Arabian Business.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, made the announcement after meeting with Maya Tissafi, Switzerland's Ambassador to the UAE.

Sheikh Ahmed said: "Expo 2020 Dubai will be an international focal point where people and countries will come together to celebrate human ingenuity, and our shared ability to build a better future... We are delighted that the Swiss government has committed to participate, over four years ahead of the start of the Expo."

The Swiss Federal Council agreed to take part in Expo 2020 at a meeting held last week which also agreed a budget for the Swiss Pavilion – which will be built on the Expo site – of $15.5 million.

Between October 2020 and April 2021, Expo 2020 Dubai is expected to welcome more than 180 nations and an international audience of 25 million visitors. Expo 2020 is scheduled to be hosted by Dubai in an area next to Jebel Ali. Spanning 438,000 square meters, Dubai Expo 2020 will be 10 percent larger in size than Milan Expo 2015.