UAE-Lebanon Joint Business Council
Bilateral council of the UAE and Lebanese chambers of commerce, launched at the UAE-Lebanon Business Forum in Beirut in August 2026
| UAE-Lebanon Joint Business Council
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Bilateral business council |
| Founded | August 2026 |
| Location | Agreed in Beirut |
| Key people | Abdallah Sultan Al Owais; Mohamed Choucair |
The UAE-Lebanon Joint Business Council is a body agreed in August 2026 between the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of the Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Lebanon. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the UAE-Lebanon Business Forum in Beirut by Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, vice chairman of the UAE federation and chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Mohamed Choucair, chairman of the Lebanese federation. The National described it as a revival of a joint council, after years of diplomatic strain. Its stated work is trade, investment and private-sector partnerships. The National reported the creation of the council during the forum on 26 August; Khaleej Times reported the signing on 30 August.[1][2][3]
The signing
Al Owais was in Beirut with the official UAE delegation. With him from the Sharjah chamber were Waleed AbdelRahman BuKhatir, second vice chairman, Mohammad Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, director general, and Abdul Aziz Al Shamsi, assistant director general for communication and the business sector. Al Owais said the point was to strengthen the economic partnership and expand business-to-business cooperation, with a focus on trade and investment flows. Al Shamsi said the council would be a platform for investors and entrepreneurs, and a pipeline for partnerships, projects and ventures. The forum also produced four other memoranda. Their subjects were not itemised in the Khaleej Times report. Business leaders told The National they wanted a first-mover position in logistics, agriculture, energy, aviation and tourism.[1][2]
The figures they cited
Non-oil trade between the two countries was put at $4.2 billion in 2025, up 35.6 per cent on the year. The UAE was described as Lebanon’s largest Arab direct investor between 2003 and 2016, at $7.8 billion. The diplomatic reset followed the election of Joseph Aoun as president in January 2025, after which the UAE reopened its embassy in Beirut. The published record describes it as a chamber agreement on trade and investment; no property role has been reported.[2]
See also
- Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry
- UAE-Lebanon Business Forum
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Waheed Abbas, UAE, Lebanon sign deal to launch joint business council Khaleej Times, 30 August 2026, accessed 22 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The National, UAE and Lebanon revive joint business council as economic ties gather pace The National, 30 August 2026, accessed 22 October 2026.
- ↑ The National, UAE businesses seek first-mover advantage in Lebanon The National, 26 August 2026, accessed 22 October 2026.