The Netherlands officially supported the UAE's bid to host Expo 2020. The Dutch Foreign Minister announced this support during a meeting with the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs in Dubai. Members of Dutch and Benelux business councils will contribute substantially to help the UAE realize its plans for hosting the event. The Netherlands has over 250 companies in the UAE focused on sectors like oil and gas, water, and architecture, and Dutch companies have aided many landmark UAE projects, such as land reclamation for Palm Island.