BEIRUT, LEBANON (WAM) – The UAE-Lebanon Business Forum, held at the Seaside Arena in Beirut, has brought together government officials and private-sector leaders from both countries to advance trade and investment cooperation.
Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, led the 80-strong UAE delegation to the forum. Dr. Tarek Mitri, Deputy Prime Minister, attended on behalf of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
The forum also featured remarks from Amer Al-Bassat, Lebanon’s Minister of Economy and Trade; Fayez Rassami, Lebanon’s Minister of Public Works and Transport; Joe Issa Al-Khoury, Lebanon’s Minister of Industry; Dr. Nizar Hani, Lebanon’s Minister of Agriculture; and Dr. Kamal Shehadeh, Lebanon’s Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence.
Other speakers at the forum included Sultan Abdullah Al Owais, Vice President of the UAE Federation of Chambers; Hamad Sayah Al Mazrouei, Undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED); Dr. Hamad Buamim, President of the UAE-Lebanon Business Council from the UAE side; Waseem Daher, President of the UAE-Lebanon Business Council from the Lebanese side; Wissam Al Ariss, President of the Union of Lebanese-Gulf Business Councils; and former Minister Mohammed Shukair, President of the Lebanese Economic Bodies.
The forum featured two panel discussions focused on translating bilateral economic momentum into concrete partnerships. The first, titled “Partnership in Infrastructure and Reconstruction Projects: Investment and Cooperation Opportunities,” featured Mohammed Ali Qabbani, Chairman of Lebanon’s Council for Development and Reconstruction; Eng. Maroun Al-Helou, President of the Syndicate of Public Works and Building Contractors in Lebanon; Nasser Al Nowais, Chairman of Rotana Hotel Management Corporation; and Abdullah Massaad, CEO of RAK Ceramics Group.
The second panel, “From Opportunities to Investment Partnerships: Prospects for Lebanese-Emirati Investment and the Role of the Private Sector,” brought together Majed Mouneimne, Chairman of the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL); Jack Sarraf, President of Global Lebanese Investors (GLI); Issa Al Ghurair, Chairman of Issa Al Ghurair Investment; and Ismail Al Mazmi, Chief Commercial Officer of Daleel Technology.
On the sidelines of the forum, four memoranda of understanding were signed. The first, a foundational MoU establishing the Joint UAE-Lebanon Business Council – a key outcome first agreed upon during President Aoun’s visit to Abu Dhabi in 2025 – was signed by Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Vice President of the UAE Federation of Chambers and Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce, and Mohammed Shukair, President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Lebanon.
A cooperation agreement was also signed between the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture to enhance investment and business opportunities between the two parties.
Two further MoUs were signed between Elite Agro Holding and the American University of Beirut to enhance collaboration in food security, arid agriculture research and agritech innovation, and between Elite Agro Holding and Georges Daccache & Sons to cooperate in greenhouse solutions, including design, supply, installation, commissioning, maintenance and joint development.
Following the forum, the inaugural meeting of the Joint UAE-Lebanon Business Council was convened, with HE Al Zeyoudi in attendance.
The meeting was co-chaired by Dr. Hamad Buamim for the UAE and Waseem Daher for Lebanon. Council members from both countries discussed the council’s work plan, including mechanisms for facilitating investment opportunities, organising sector-specific business forums and removing barriers to bilateral trade and investment flows.
Al Zeyoudi said, “The discussions demonstrated the depth of commercial interest on both sides and the readiness of UAE and Lebanese businesses to move from dialogue to partnership. The signing of four memoranda of understanding and the launch of the Joint UAE-Lebanon Business Council provide the structured channels our private sectors need to identify opportunities, form partnerships and invest with confidence. We are committed to sustaining this momentum and translating it into measurable outcomes for both our economies.”
During the visit, Al Zeyoudi also held separate bilateral meetings with Amer Al-Bassat, Lebanon’s Minister of Economy and Trade; Joe Issa Al-Khoury, Lebanon’s Minister of Industry; and Dr. Kamal Shehadeh, Lebanon’s Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence.
The discussions focused on expanding trade cooperation, supporting industrial development, advancing digital transformation and strengthening the investment environment for businesses from both countries.
The UAE delegation included the UAE’s Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic, Fahad Salem Saeed Al Kaabi, alongside representatives from a broad range of sectors, including logistics, food security and agriculture, healthcare, oil and gas, renewable energy, aviation, artificial intelligence and tourism, underscoring the growing appetite for commercial engagement with Lebanon as it pursues its economic renewal agenda.
UAE-Lebanon economic ties have been enjoying significant momentum in the last 18 months. In 2025, bilateral non-oil trade reached US$4.2 billion, reflecting a growth of 35.6% compared to 2024.
The visit formed part of the UAE’s broader efforts to strengthen trade and investment partnerships across the Arab world and high-growth markets globally.
NEWS AND IMAGE COURTESY: WAM NEWS (www.wam.ae)
