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The
United States is banned by Congress from using public funds to
take part in fairs organised by the Bureau International des
Expositions (BIE), like the six-month Expo that started in Dubai
last week.
Host the United Arab Emirates instead financed the pavilion of
its key security partner, which houses the U.S. exhibition, at a
cost of $60 million.
"One of my missions going forward ... is to educate the United
States Congress, on both sides of the aisle, to the benefits of
participating in the Expo," Clark said at Expo. "I am having
those conversations now."
Clark is the Expo's most senior U.S. government representative.
Congressional delegations are expected to visit the Expo, and
Clark said he planned to "emphasise the importance" so that the
government would be able to use public funds going forward.
Clark, a businessmen who was has been in the unpaid role for
less than a month, was speaking to reporters at the U.S.
pavilion which features a replica Space X Falcon 9 rocket and a
Koran that was owned by third president Thomas Jefferson.
"United States of America" is written in English and Arabic
outside the pavilion. Visitors can eat "New York" bagels and
drink Budweiser beer at the pavilion's restaurant and buy NASA
T-shirts in the souvenir store.
The U.S. is forecasting its pavilion will attract over 2 million
visitors the six months the fair runs for. Expo organisers
expect 25 million visits to the fairgrounds.
The U.S., which has said it is interested in hosting the smaller
"Specialised Expo" in 2027 in Minnesota is one of nearly 200
countries taking part in the Dubai fair, including adversaries
China and Russia.
(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell, editing by Ed Osmond)
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