President Michel Aoun said during a dinner held on Tuesday by Economy Minister, Raed Khoury for the Lebanese and Saudi businessmen at the Conferences Palace in Saudi Arabia “We in Lebanon provide security and stability. These two elements are vital to build tourism and everything related to reconstruction”.
For his part, Minister Raed Khoury stressed “Lebanon regains close ties with the Arab countries starting with the Saudi Kingdom after recovering from its political crisis”.
He pointed that Lebanon was keen on boosting economic ties with the Kingdom, reminding of the Lebanese contribution to the process of development and reconstruction in Saudi Arabia.
“Despite the decline in trade between Lebanon and the Gulf in recent years due to land corridors disruption as result of the ongoing incidents, Saudi Arabia still attracts 12% of Lebanese exports approximately half of Lebanon’s exports to the GCC countries combined,” the minister said.
Khoury called on the Saudi businessmen to invest in Lebanon.
Saudi Economy Minister, Majed bin Abdallah Kasbi, hoped that strong ties would persist between Lebanon and the Kingdom, confirming that trade and investment ties would be strengthened between both countries.
Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Gebran Bassil said that “the Foreign Ministry’s basic message is a comprehensive reassurance to the Lebanese, and today especially to the Saudis, to say that we are interested in their security in Lebanon and we love them”.
“We have said to them that it is forbidden to withdraw from Lebanon, you are in the heart of Lebanon and the Lebanese,” Bassil concluded.
