DUBAI: The organisers of Expo 2020 Dubai said on Saturday they are committed to hosting the event which was postponed for a year due to coronavirus, but are ready for all possible scenarios amid a new global wave of the pandemic.

The world’s fair, which had been due to run from October 2020 to April this year, was delayed last May after participating countries said they needed to focus on tackling the spread of infections. “We are committed to hosting Expo in October 2021. We are following all the guidelines, all the international guidelines on how to deal with COVID, social distancing,” the event’s Chief Development and Delivery Officer Ahmed al-Khatib told reporters.

He said the organisers were ready for all scenarios and expected the doors to open on Oct. 1. The event will run to March 31, 2022.

Part of the exhibition site will be open to the public from next week until April to drum up local interest for the event which has been nearly a decade in the making.

But with the pandemic once again raging around the world, there are questions over the viability of hosting international public events.