Expo Dubai 2020 has crossed the halfway mark, with the Australian Pavilion having hosted over 87 events and 685,000 visitors in the first three months and looking ahead to a jam- packed, exciting program over the remaining three months.

Showcasing Australian industry, creativity and capability, the pavilion has welcomed more than 100 international business delegations and government representatives from across the globe as well as 1,000 school groups.

Australia's trade and investment activities are leveraging Expo 2020 as a platform to connect Australian industry with international commercial delegations, focussing on priority sectors such as education, mining & resources, food & agribusiness, advanced manufacturing (including space and defence), infrastructure, digital technology, and new energy & renewable energy.

A Study Australia virtual pavilion complements the physical Australian Pavilion, featuring masterclasses by leading academics, interactive workshops for high school students on the Internet of Things and postgraduate sessions with Australian universities based in the UAE.

An Australian delegation of mining equipment and service providers visited the Expo and the MENA Mining Show, the Middle East's largest mining exhibition and conference. Companies connected with customers from Saudi Arabia, Chile, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, all seeking Australian capabilities and solutions. The Australian Pavilion is also hosting in-person and virtual roundtables for Australian companies such as ASX-listed Codan and Telstra, connecting with Ministers from Eswatini and Botswana.

Virtual business matching events are connecting Australian food and beverage exporters to buyers and distributors in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar. An industry roundtable on Australia's position as a premium food supplier involved state government representatives, food and beverage suppliers, retailers and distributors in market.

Australian companies participated in the Dubai Airshow and the International Astronautical Congress, supported by Austrade, state and territory governments and the Australian Space Agency. Introductions to UAE advanced manufacturing and defence stakeholders are expected to lead to commercial outcomes, including for Australian search and rescue businesses. A follow-up program is being developed for Australian companies to participate in the International Maritime Defence Exhibition in March 2022.

Australia Day at the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) showcased Australian capability in infrastructure, new energy and renewable energy to UAE ministries and industry stakeholders. UAE renewable energy Sovereign Wealth Fund Masdar identified over $2 billion in investment opportunities in Australia and is already investing $500 million in energy from waste projects. The Australia Pavilion also hosted roundtables with visiting ministers, such as Mozambique's Minister for Natural Resources and Energy.

Australian digitech companies such as ZipCo, Grabba Technologies, FIN-PAY, and Enteruptors featured at GITEX, the Abu Dhabi Fintech 100 and the GMIS conferences. Australia is also collaborating with the Abu Dhabi Global Market and 25 countries around the Fintech 100, including Singapore, the US, Canada and New Zealand. Fintech Australia released a report promoting Australian investment opportunities to over 80 stakeholders at a fintech showcase.

Expo 2020 Dubai continues until 31 March 2022.