The global show will be held under the motto Connecting Minds, Creating the Future. Slovenia, one of the first countries to confirm its participation, will feature a pavilion on sustainability.

The world expo venue will feature three large pavilions, each focussing on the sub-themes of mobility, sustainability and opportunity. Participants can choose to be represented either with their own pavilion or as part of a joint thematic presentation.

Following Tuesday's meeting of the government economy committee, the government intends to allocate 9.7 million euro for Slovenia's 1,550 square metre pavilion.

The project will be a collaboration of several institutions, including the Foreign Ministry, SPIRIT - the Public Agency for Entrepreneurship, Internationalisation, Foreign Investments and Technology, and the Slovenian Tourist Board.

Preparations will be carried out in six stages, and are set to cost 2.9 million euro this year, 4.3 million euro in 2020 and 2.5 million euro in 2021.

The Ministry of Economic Development and Technology is currently soliciting bids for the concept of the Slovenian pavilion.

The government would like to present Slovenia as a green tourist destination rich in water sources.

"At Expo 2020, Slovenia wants to deepen economic cooperation with both Gulf countries and the wider region, while also promoting Slovenia as a green tourist destination," the ministry said.

Expo Dubai will be the first world exposition to be held in a country from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MEASA), a region with a population of 3.2 billion.

More than 190 countries are set to take part, with organisers expecting around 27 million visitors.