Saudi Arabia’s envoy to Lebanon, Prince Yazid bin Farhan, arrived in Beirut on Monday with a delegation, as discussions between the two countries to renew economic relations continue.
The Saudi officials will discuss resuming Lebanese exports to the kingdom and boosting trade ties between the countries, a political source told The National.
The source said it was yet to be established whether the delegation was planning to study obstacles to lifting the ban or if a formal decision on the resumption of exports would be announced.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam later posted on social media that the delegation had arrived to discuss procedures for resuming Lebanese exports.
"I reiterated to the esteemed delegation our pledge that Lebanon will not be used as a platform to destabilise the security of its Arab brothers or as a conduit for smuggling drugs or any other contraband," Mr Nawaf said.
Saudi Arabia banned the import of Lebanese agricultural produce in April 2021 after the discovery of millions of Captagon pills hidden in a shipment of pomegranates.
The ban was expanded to include all imports from Lebanon later that year amid a diplomatic rift caused by a Lebanese minister's remarks about the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen.
The ban dealt a blow to Lebanon’s economy, which relies heavily on the Saudi market, causing it heavy losses at a time when it was going through one of the worst economic crises in the modern world.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states were major supporters of Lebanon but became frustrated by the growing influence of Iran-backed Hezbollah over the country. The kingdom's re-engagement marks a major shift after years of diplomatic distance.
The Saudi delegation’s visit came on the eve of the two-day Beirut One conference that brings together Lebanon’s international partners, its diaspora and the private sector to secure investments and support for the country.
Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State, who is in Beirut to attend the conference, held a meeting with Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh on Monday.
Mr Salameh thanked her for accepting Lebanon’s invitation to attend the conference, while Ms Al Kaabi noted an invitation was not necessary because “Lebanon is my second home”. The UAE ambassador to Lebanon, Fahad Salem Al Kaabi, who took up his post in September, and the Lebanese ambassador to the UAE, Tarek Mneimneh, were also present at the meeting, the National News Agency reported.
Saudi Arabia, through Prince Yazid, has reasserted itself in Lebanon’s political affairs following Hezbollah's losses in a war with Israel last year, expressing renewed regional interest in stabilising the country’s institutions, advising officials to adhere to international expectations and warning of the consequences of a lack of action.
Riyadh supports a road map drawn up by the US, under which Hezbollah would disarm. The group has rejected the idea, saying it will not disarm until Israeli troops withdraw from five points of Lebanese territory that they occupy.
The implementation of a Lebanese army plan to rid Hezbollah of its weapons has been slow because of fears that the disarmament campaign could lead to civil strife.
