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摘要

The opening of the World Expo 2020 Dubai on its purpose-built 438-hectare site in October 2020 will constitute a significant moment; the first World Exposition to be held in the Middle East. During the six-months the event is open, the United Arab Emirates will also celebrate its half-centenary as a nation. In those 50 years, the UAE has emerged as a significant business centre and a principal gateway to the entire Middle East, Africa and south Asia (Measa) region. Comprising 72 countries (54 of them in Africa) with a combined population of more than 3 billion people and a total gross domestic product (GDP) of $6500bn, Measa has become a 21st-century powerhouse.