Lebanese President Meets UAE Minister of Economy

UAE Minister of Economy Sultan Saeed Al Mansouri met in Beirut with the Lebanese President General Michel Suleiman and conveyed to him good wishes from UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The minister is currently in Beirut leading a delegation to participate in the twenty-seventh session of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia ESCWA. The meeting was attended by UAE Ambassador in Lebanon Yousef Ali Abdul Rahman Osaimi and Mohammed Saleh Shelwah, Assistant Undersecretary for Economic Policy at the Ministry of Economy.

Al Mansouri briefed the Lebanese Head of State on the joint action plan agreed between the UAE and Lebanon, which aims to develop economic relations between the two countries, specifically the agreement to activate the joint committee between the two countries. General Michel Suleiman stressed the importance of the historical relations between UAE and Lebanon and the harmony between the people of both countries. He emphasised that Lebanon is looking to develop bilateral relations with the UAE to a greater extent, particularly in the economic field through the promotion of joint investments and enhancement of bilateral trade. The General expressed his country's readiness to provide whatever is necessary to strengthen these relations and to lead into success the Action Plan agreed between the two countries.

Al Mansouri thanked the Lebanese President for his commitment to the development of bilateral relations with the UAE and for welcoming the agreements of economic development. He said that the economic agreements and the Joint Action Plan agreed between the two countries will enhance opportunities for cooperation in the fields of agriculture, alternative energy, industry and small and medium enterprises, trade, investment and innovation. The minister also briefed the Lebanese President on UAE's plans in the field of food security, adding that Lebanon, as an agricultural country, has an important role to play in implementing these plans. Earlier, Al Mansouri had met with his Lebanese counterpart Nicolas Nahhas in Beirut and agreed with him on a work plan to activate and develop economic, trade and projects committees between UAE and Lebanon. As part of this, both sides will hold a meeting in June in Dubai. The conference will discuss, among others, the theme of setting up investment and economic areas in Lebanon for attracting investments from UAE.