Beirut [Lebanon], August 28: Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, has concluded a visit to the Republic of Lebanon, where he was received by Joseph Aoun, President of the Lebanese Republic, at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, to discuss strengthening bilateral raltions.
Ahead of their meeting, Al Zeyoudi conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, to the Lebanese President and the people of Lebanon, and reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to supporting Lebanon's stability, sovereignty and economic development.
Discussions with President Aoun focused on advancing bilateral economic cooperation and translating the outcomes of President Aoun's visit to the UAE in 2025 into tangible commercial opportunities. Al Zeyoudi outlined the UAE's expanding trade and investment agenda and the importance of the private sector in strengthening the economic partnership between the two nations.
During the visit, Al Zeyoudi also held talks with Speaker Nabih Berri, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, which reflected a renewed commitment to deepening collaboration across priority sectors and increasing investment to support economic growth and industrial development.
In separate meetings with Joe Issa Al-Khoury, Lebanese Minister of Industry; and Dr. Kamal Shehadeh, Lebanese Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence, Al Zeyoudi discussed ways to expand trade cooperation, support industrial development and advance digital transformation in both countries.
Al Zeyoudi said: "Lebanon is pursuing a new phase of economic renewal, and the UAE stands ready to be a partner in that journey. My discussions with President Aoun and Speaker Berri reflected a shared determination to deepen bilateral economic ties and create meaningful, long-term opportunities for our private sectors. By strengthening trade flows, encouraging investment partnerships and formalising channels of business-to-business engagement, we are beginning a new chapter in bilateral relations and building a solid foundation for sustainable growth that will benefit both nations."
The UAE delegation accompanying HE Al Zeyoudi numbered 80 individuals and included the UAE Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic, HE 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.
Since its launch in September 2021, the UAE's Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) program has resulted in 37 agreements with economies across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, with 18 in force. The UAE's non-oil foreign trade reached a record AED 1.937 trillion (approximately US$527 billion) in the first half of 2026, a growth of 13.1% year-on-year, as the nation continues to pursue its target of increasing non-oil foreign trade to AED 4 trillion (US$1.1 trillion) by 2031.
Source: Emirates News Agency
