UAE-Lebanon Business Forum Drives New Wave of Private-sector Partnerships
As the Joint Business Council holds its inaugural meeting in Beirut, the UAE-Lebanon Business Forum emerges as a catalyst for enhanced trade and investment cooperation between the two nations.
Umer Jamshaid
August 27, 2026
BEIRUT (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM – 27th Aug, 2026) The UAE-Lebanon Business Forum, hosted at the Seaside Arena in Beirut, brought together government officials and private sector leaders from both countries. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade of the UAE, led a 80-member delegation. Dr. Tarek Mitri, Deputy Prime Minister, represented Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
The forum heard remarks from several key figures, including:
- Amer Al-Bassat, Minister of Economy and Trade of Lebanon
- Fayez Rassami, Minister of Public Works and Transport of Lebanon
- Joe Issa Al-Khoury, Minister of Industry of Lebanon
- Dr. Nizar Hani, Minister of Agriculture of Lebanon
- Dr. Kamal Shehadeh, Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence of Lebanon
Additionally, speakers 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 (UAE side)
- Waseem Daher, President of the UAE-Lebanon Business Council (Lebanese side)
- Wissam Al Ariss, President of the Union of Lebanese-Gulf Business Councils
- Former Minister Mohammed Shukair, President of the Lebanese Economic Bodies
The forum comprised two panel discussions focusing on turning bilateral economic momentum into concrete partnerships:
-
Partnership in Infrastructure and Reconstruction Projects: Investment and Cooperation Opportunities
- 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
- Abdullah Massaad, CEO of RAK Ceramics Group
-
From Opportunities to Investment Partnerships: Prospects for Lebanese-Emirati Investment and the Role of the Private Sector
- 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
- Ismail Al Mazmi, Chief Commercial Officer of Daleel Technology
On the sidelines of the forum, four memoranda of understanding (MoU) were signed:
- Foundational MoU establishing the Joint UAE-Lebanon Business Council, a key outcome from President Aoun’s visit to Abu Dhabi in 2025, signed by Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Vice President of the UAE Federation of Chambers.
