Page 231 - MOET ENGLISH PR REPORT - OCTOBER 2025 (Part 1)

11/3/25, 8:27 AM Ministry of Economy and Tourism, Expo City Dubai launch UAE’s first Green Innovation District - Eye of Riyadh

Dr Maria Hanif Al Qassim, Assistant Under-Secretary for Policies and Economic Studies Sector, Ministry of Economy and
Tourism, said, “The Green Innovation District is a collective endeavour uniting entities committed to advancing the green

economy, empowering SMEs, and accelerating circular and sustainable innovation. It reflects a shared commitment, nationally
and internationally, to fostering responsible investment, enabling green entrepreneurship, and driving climate action. Central
to this vision is the promotion of green intellectual property and technologies that translate innovation into tangible

environmental and economic impact.”

Sanjive Khosla, Vice President, Corporate Strategy at Expo City Dubai, said, “The success of the Green Innovation District will
hinge on collaboration among all stakeholders to maximise the benefits of shared infrastructure and symbiotic, sustainable
relationships. We’re delighted to launch this initiative with four outstanding strategic partners and are looking forward to

welcoming many new entities as we expand the green innovation community.”

Aiming to yield significant reductions in carbon emissions and waste, the Green Innovation District caters to businesses

involved in the circular economy, urban farming or offering sustainable products and services. It will offer flexible office, retail
and F&B space as well as a number of light industrial unit and farm plots.

As part of its free zone – which was awarded fDi Intelligence’s global “rising star” free zone for 2025 – Expo City will launch

UAE’s first Green Licence aimed at attracting entities committed to environmental and social sustainability. Offering a host of
incentives to enable companies to set up and operate seamlessly, the licence will encourage innovation and support green
business growth. In addition, the Ministry of Economy will set up an IP Office at Expo City Dubai to encourage research and

development. Both initiatives are designed to increase the UAE’s competitiveness in attracting innovators and advance
sustainable practices.

Expo City, designed as a blueprint for sustainable urban development, builds on its legacy as the home of Expo 2020 Dubai
and COP28 to create a hub for sustainability pioneers and a driver of meaningful partnerships and initiatives.

Its master plan is pre-certified Platinum – the highest possible rating – in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design) Cities and Communities standard, while LEED Gold will continue to be a minimum requirement for all buildings. The

plan has also achieved pre-certification for WELL Community – a standard that emphasises health and wellbeing – and is
targeting WELL Gold. Having already achieved an ‘Excellent’ rating under BREEAM Infrastructure across eight existing
projects, the city is aiming to reach this rating for all infrastructure and public realm projects.

As a go-to destination for globally significant events, Expo City boasts multiple ISO 20121:2024-certified indoor and outdoor
venues, demonstrating its eco-credentials for the planned ‘Green Investopia’ conference in 2026 – an event dedicated to
exploring key trends in green investing and attract investment to the UAE. An off-shoot of the Investopia series of conferences
organised by the Ministry, this will further strengthen Expo City’s position as a convening hub.

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