“A mixture of buyers from investors to first-time home owners have booked apartments that will be built overlooking Expo City Dubai attractions.
Properties went on sale on Wednesday, with families showing up at the newly opened sales centre asking for more information about residences to be completed in January 2026. “There is interest among the English, German and French investors overseas because this is not something you can compare to Dubai’s other communities,” he said.
“This was first created as a showpiece for the world and people were mesmerised by what they saw.
“Now they hear of walking around in green zones, no cars on roads and the wadi bringing nature closer to you.
“This place is in its own category also because of the events planned, fan zones, the concert areas.
Existing infrastructure built for Expo 2020, such as the metro station, as well as payment plan options for apartments starting at Dh1.2 million ($330,000) have attracted investors.
For Jayant Gupta, a commodities trader, buying a one-bedroom apartment was a “no-brainer” due to the road and Metro connectivity. Mr Gupta moved from Singapore to the UAE seven months ago and has invested in town houses and apartments in three other Dubai developments.
He said the option to pay the final 50 per cent over 16 months after handover were attractive.
“Being a seasoned investor, I invest in multiple properties and having a flexible payment plan allows me to invest in more projects. So I can keep my cash safe with me and find more projects to invest in,” said Mr Gupta, who spent less than two hours finalising the purchase of a one-bedroom apartment.
Having lived in Singapore for eight years, Mr Gupta now lives with his family in Dubai.
He had never been to the Expo site before Wednesday and was upbeat about growth in the surrounding area.
“Expo is a brand I know because all Emirates planes had Expo 2020 written across,” he said.
“The Jebel Ali area is developing at a fast pace, the port has always been a success and there is a Jafza [Jebel Ali Free Zone] extension coming up so a lot of corporates will be coming here.
“Location-wise this is a good spot.”
He said investing in Dubai made sense due to a “welcoming environment” where people from different nationalities had made the UAE their home.
The planned new community in Dubai South capitalises on an exceptional property boom in the emirate.
Several off-plan developments, when homes are sold before construction, have been introduced over the past year.
Dubai has experienced record growth with the value of property deals reaching a high of Dh528 billion early this year.
The number of investors has risen by 53 per cent compared to 2021.”
“Expo Live, a legacy project of Expo 2020 Dubai, is on the lookout for start-ups searching for concrete solutions to the climate crisis and combat global warming.
Selected companies will be awarded a $50,000 grant for work related to reforestation, reduction of greenhouse gases or improving agricultural productivity.
Successful innovators will have the opportunity to display their work at Cop28, scheduled at Expo City Dubai at the end of the year.
The Expo Live Innovation Programme has received 430 applications from around the world since its launch earlier this month. “There was always the vision for Expo Live to remain post-Expo, but this round is very special because it’s aligned with Cop,” Yousuf Caires, executive director of the Expo Live Innovation Programme, told The National.
“We will give attention to projects that focus on climate-related solutions.
“We are in the year of sustainability and in the year when Expo City Dubai will host Cop28 come November.
“Bringing innovators here during the two weeks of Cop28 to exhibit their projects will give them the right exposure so they can be seen, participate in discussions and can connect even further.” Who is eligible
To attend, entrepreneurs must have a registered company and their solution needs to be in the market or close to launch.
“They need to express the positive impact their solution creates for the environment, how it affects food security or adapts to the energy transition,” Mr Caires said. There is no specific number of how many innovators will be selected, this will depend on the strength of applications received.
The focus will be on candidates with projects that can transform the lives of neglected communities coping with drought or floods.
“We are interested in innovations that address problems of water and food security, air pollution, sustainable consumption and production,” he said.
“We are keen to understand how their innovations can help people suffering the most.
“We are keen on understanding how these solutions are applicable to tough environments where there are natural disasters mostly due to climate change, where people are displaced due to lack of food.”
Entrepreneurs whose projects are shortlisted will be invited to deliver a 15-minute presentation before judges at Expo City Dubai after the Eid break, probably in April.”
عبدالرحمان زمین پیما
Author
آرمان جعفری
Author
