Latest news with #JosephAoun
Khaleej Times
11 hours ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE lifts travel ban to Lebanon for citizens from May 7
UAE citizens will be allowed to travel to Lebanon effective May 7 but prior registration on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Twajudi platform is mandatory. Filling in the required information on the service before travelling is required to ensure effective communication, whether citizens will travel directly from the UAE through or from any other country. The Ministry has clarified that departing UAE ports without completing the registration process on the platform may result in suspending travel procedures and possible legal accountability. Citizens are asked to fill in all required information, specify their place of residence in Lebanon, update this information if changed, provide emergency contact numbers, and state the purpose of their visit. They also have to report on Mofa's Twajudi service upon their return to the UAE. The decision to lift the travel ban was taken upon the directives of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed. It follows the recent working visit of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to the UAE. The Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam appreciated the UAE's decision to the lift the travel ban on Emirati citizens travelling to Lebanon. He also emphasised this step confirmed the depth of brotherhood between the two countries. During the visit, the UAE and Lebanon agreed to allow travel for citizens after taking the necessary steps to facilitate movement between the two countries and establish suitable mechanisms to ensure this. The UAE applied a ban on citizens from travelling to Lebanon back in 2021 after comments made by Lebanon's information minister — against the legitimacy led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen — put strains on Gulf-Lebanese relations. The Emirates had also announced the withdrawal of its diplomats in solidarity with Saudi Arabia. Lebanese nationals on the other hand were permitted to travel from Lebanon to the UAE. Earlier this year, UAE reopened its embassy in Beirut, and resumed diplomatic activities, which a UAE official termed a significant step in advancing cooperation between the two countries.
Khaleej Times
11 hours ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE, Lebanon to allow citizens to travel after setting up necessary measures
UAE and Lebanon agreed to allow citizens to travel after taking the necessary measures to facilitate movement between the two countries and establishing appropriate mechanisms. This comes as part of a joint statement issued by the two countries on the occasion of the working visit of Joseph Aoun, President of the Lebanese Republic, to the UAE. Aoun and UAE's President Sheikh Mohamed held talks at Al Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi, and discussed ways to develop investment opportunities, exchange expertise, and develop areas of government work. Earlier this year, UAE reopened its embassy in Beirut, and resumed diplomatic activities, which a UAE official termed a significant step in advancing cooperation between the two countries. The two countries will also establish a joint Emirati-Lebanese Business Council, under a new agreement during the discussions. The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development will send a delegation to Lebanon to discuss and evaluate available joint cooperation projects; the Knowledge Exchange Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs will visit Beirut to inform Lebanon of UAE's successful experiences in developing government performance. The UAE President stressed support for Lebanon's stability and sovereignty, and hope that the Lebanese President's visit would help in achieving common aspirations for progress.
The National
13 hours ago
- Business
- The National
New airport master plan nearly complete and Captagon fight not yet won, Lebanese PM says
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced on Wednesday that the master plan for a second airport will be unveiled within a month, vowing to open the project to foreign investors. In an interview with The National and other UAE-based media outlets, Mr Salam said the war-scarred country, emerging from a devastating war with Israel, is looking to reopen its economy. He outlined parallel priorities for the state, from restoring a monopoly on arms to encouraging foreign support, and pledged to continue the fight against Captagon smuggling, which has strained relations with Arab states. 'We are not going back to the old days of asking for donations and loans. We need to prepare a suitable environment for investment,' Mr Salam said. 'The responsibility for reform and restoring the state's sovereignty lies with us, first and foremost. But with Arab and international support, we'll be better positioned to succeed.' The UAE has sought to bolster bilateral ties with Lebanon in recent months as it emerges from years of political turmoil. In April, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held talks with President Sheikh Mohamed in what was the first formal visit by a Lebanese head of state to the Emirates for more than a decade. A long-standing ban on UAE citizens travelling to Lebanon was lifted on May 7, highlighting the success of the visit. On Tuesday, Sheikh Mohamed set out the UAE's support for Lebanon during talks with Mr Salam. Priorities and challenges Leading a reformist government backed by the US and Arab states, Mr Salam's task is far from easy. The small country needs $14 billion to rebuild after the war between Israel and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah. 'There are many priorities, major challenges and numerous files, making it difficult to set fixed priorities. That's why it's important to work on parallel tracks,' he said. Efforts are focused on attracting investment to key infrastructure projects, he added, primarily the Port of Beirut, which was devastated by a massive blast in 2020, the northern port of Tripoli close to Turkey and a second airport in the east. 'The master plan for the new airport, the Rene Rene Mouawad Airport in Qlayaat, will be presented in the coming weeks – in less than a month,' he said. 'We've started work on this quickly, and the project will be open to investment. We haven't yet finalised the exact model, whether it will be a tender or not, but it has significant potential.' Lebanon, with its strategic location in the Mediterranean on the doorstep of Europe, has long struggled to keep its only airport in Beirut fully operational due to political instability and its proximity to areas prone to unrest. A second airport could help it regain some of the status it enjoyed before the civil war began in 1975. 'It could serve in cargo operations and low-cost aviation,' Mr Salam said. Another key asset for Lebanon is its gold reserves, about 286.8 tonnes valued at about $27 billion. This accounts for more than 76 per cent of the country's GDP, giving Lebanon the highest gold-to-GDP ratio in the world. However, Mr Salam has said the gold remains off-limits for now. 'Any tampering with Lebanon's gold reserves today could have negative consequences. The risks outweigh any potential gains from investing or liquidating part of it,' he said. We are firmly committed to the Arab Peace Initiative Lebanese PM Nawaf Salam While Lebanon seeks support to reopen its economy and rebuild, it continues to address a critical issue: stopping the smuggling of Captagon to Arab states, a phenomenon that has led several countries to boycott Lebanese agricultural and manufactured goods. As the civil war broke out in 2011 in neighbouring Syria, millions of Captagon pills were produced under Bashar Al Assad 's regime and shipped through Lebanon and other countries, accounting for about 80 per cent of the world's production, according to several estimates. This shadow economy has largely halted in Syria after the fall of the regime in December, but for Lebanon, the fight continues, both within its borders and along the frontier with Syria. 'We are looking to facilitate exports to Gulf countries, and we must do our part to ensure that red lines are not crossed, particularly those that have concerned Gulf states in the past, like the trafficking of Captagon drugs through Lebanon,' Mr Salam said. 'These drugs were produced in Syria, passed through Lebanon, took on a Lebanese cover, and were exported from here. Today, with the tightening of our border with the Syrian regime, smuggling and drug exports are more controlled. But that doesn't mean the problem is over.' A major factory on the Lebanese-Syrian border was dismantled in the last month, Mr Salam said. No state, no peace On the diplomatic front, Lebanon faces mounting pressure to swiftly reduce Hezbollah's political influence after the group's heavy defeat in its war with Israel, and to establish a clear path towards its disarmament and the disarmament of Palestinian factions in refugee camps. Success on this front is key to securing Arab and western support for Lebanon's reform and reconstruction efforts. Mr Aoun on Monday confirmed the process to disarm refugee camps will begin in mid-June after a visit to Beirut by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. 'We have reached an understanding on the issue of weapons collection. We are ready to co-operate on mechanisms to hand over weapons, even removing them from the country,' said Mr Salam. 'The PLO [Palestinian Liberation Organisation] is the recognised Palestinian representative by Lebanon and all Arab countries. Other groups, like Hamas or other factions, may have a different view, but we care that anyone carrying weapons falls under this agreement. We cannot negotiate with each party separately,' he added. Mr Salam also announced that 'all the weapons caches that were outside the camps are gone. Those were Syrian weapons under Palestinian names'. Political sources in Beirut have suggested in recent months that Lebanon may come under pressure to pursue a path towards normalising relations with Israel in exchange for US and western support, as well as an Israeli withdrawal from the territories it still occupies in southern Lebanon. Mr Salam denied any such pressure and reiterated that there will be no relations with Israel until a Palestinian state is established. 'Our goal is peace, but peace based on conditions that guarantee its sustainability, which requires a just peace. And there is no just peace without a two-state solution, not just any state, but a state with East Jerusalem as its capital and the right of return for Palestinians guaranteed,' he said. 'We are firmly committed to the Arab Peace Initiative.'
Arab News
15 hours ago
- Business
- Arab News
UAE summons Israeli ambassador, notes its condemnation of 'provocative practices in Jerusalem'
Lebanese president holds talks with Emirati delegation in Beirut BEIRUT: A delegation from the UAE arrived in Beirut on Tuesday to review the needs and priorities of the Lebanese state, following the results of the Lebanese-Emirati summit that took place at the end of April in Abu Dhabi. President Joseph Aoun, who met with the delegation, praised the 'interest of the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, in supporting Lebanon.' The delegation was led by Abdulla Nasser Lootah, deputy minister of cabinet affairs for competitiveness and knowledge exchange. During the meeting, Aoun said, according to his media office: 'The current phase necessitates the expansion of cooperation and the deepening of exchange and integration in education, governance, and public sector management, extending to private sector initiatives and various investments, particularly in knowledge economies, digitization, and advanced technology, where the expertise of our brothers in the United Arab Emirates is significant in these areas.' Lootah outlined the delegation's mission to 'define partnership frameworks and facilitate data exchange,' emphasizing that 'the UAE will stand with Lebanon in realizing the aspirations articulated by President Aoun during his discussions with our leadership. We are committed to delivering comprehensive support that strengthens bilateral cooperation, guided by extensive facilitation measures and leadership's directives.' An extensive technical session between Lebanese and Emirati officials addressed key modernization priorities. Presidential sources indicated the talks concentrated on 'collaborative mechanisms for streamlining administrative processes, advancing digital transformation, strengthening legal frameworks, and improving public sector efficiency through bilateral knowledge transfer and technical assistance programs.' Concurrently, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam addressed the Dubai Media Summit, declaring Lebanon's emergence 'from the debris of multiple crises, determined to reclaim its identity, voice, and statehood after years of debilitating sectarian divisions, conflicts, and external interference.' Salam outlined his administration's core principle: 'Our governmental approach links reform with sovereignty, necessitating weapons monopolization under state authority. Lebanon must escape the arms duality that created decision-making duality and undermined our national project. 'Our Lebanese vision represents practical policy, not idealistic thinking,' Salam said. 'We envision a constitutional state governed by institutions rather than sectarian allocations and patronage networks — a sovereign entity free from external control, a decision-making state rather than a battleground for regional conflicts.' The prime minister concluded with Lebanon's strategic positioning: 'We seek a Lebanon controlling its destiny in both peace and war, firmly anchored in Arab identity while maintaining global openness, serving as an East-West communication bridge.' Salam believes that 'now that Lebanon has returned to the Arab fold, it longs to the active return of its Arab brothers, based on partnership and complementarity.' He thanked the UAE and its president for 'their supportive decisions and for allowing the brotherly Emirati people to visit Lebanon, their second country, again.' He pointed out that 'about 190,000 Lebanese live and work with utmost dedication and sincerity in the UAE, their second country, where they enjoy safety, security and quality of life.' The Lebanese prime minister mentioned 'the ongoing Israeli occupation of our territory,' and the 'daily Israeli violations of our sovereignty, while we work on fully implementing decision 1701, and commit to the cessation of hostilities.' Salam emphasized that 'Beirut was and still is a beacon for expression, a hub of freedoms, and a loud Arab voice in the face of darkness and closed-mindedness. Lebanon, this small country in its geography, deep in its wounds, and rich in its cultural and human heritage, is determined to reclaim its place at the heart of the Arab world and on the map of the future despite all the storms,' he said. Salam also mentioned the challenges facing the media these days, when 'media is no longer a true reflection, but a tool that shapes the public opinion, as well as peace and strife.' Those challenges, he said, required a new discourse. 'Today, we stand at a historic crossroads in the region; a delicate regional moment that calls for a new media discourse. One that counters efforts at marginalization and fragmentation and rekindles hope. 'We seek a modern, dynamic and diverse Arab media that shapes the future and does not dwell upon the past. One that opens windows rather than shuts them. That safeguards freedom rather than exploits it. The discourse, when truthful, can serve as a bridge toward more humane and cohesive societies.'
Arab News
15 hours ago
- Business
- Arab News
Lebanese president holds talks with Emirati delegation in Beirut
BEIRUT: A delegation from the UAE arrived in Beirut on Tuesday to review the needs and priorities of the Lebanese state, following the results of the Lebanese-Emirati summit that took place at the end of April in Abu Dhabi. President Joseph Aoun, who met with the delegation, praised the 'interest of the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, in supporting Lebanon.' The delegation was led by Abdulla Nasser Lootah, deputy minister of cabinet affairs for competitiveness and knowledge exchange. During the meeting, Aoun said, according to his media office: 'The current phase necessitates the expansion of cooperation and the deepening of exchange and integration in education, governance, and public sector management, extending to private sector initiatives and various investments, particularly in knowledge economies, digitization, and advanced technology, where the expertise of our brothers in the United Arab Emirates is significant in these areas.' Lootah outlined the delegation's mission to 'define partnership frameworks and facilitate data exchange,' emphasizing that 'the UAE will stand with Lebanon in realizing the aspirations articulated by President Aoun during his discussions with our leadership. We are committed to delivering comprehensive support that strengthens bilateral cooperation, guided by extensive facilitation measures and leadership's directives.' An extensive technical session between Lebanese and Emirati officials addressed key modernization priorities. Presidential sources indicated the talks concentrated on 'collaborative mechanisms for streamlining administrative processes, advancing digital transformation, strengthening legal frameworks, and improving public sector efficiency through bilateral knowledge transfer and technical assistance programs.' Concurrently, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam addressed the Dubai Media Summit, declaring Lebanon's emergence 'from the debris of multiple crises, determined to reclaim its identity, voice, and statehood after years of debilitating sectarian divisions, conflicts, and external interference.' Salam outlined his administration's core principle: 'Our governmental approach links reform with sovereignty, necessitating weapons monopolization under state authority. Lebanon must escape the arms duality that created decision-making duality and undermined our national project. 'Our Lebanese vision represents practical policy, not idealistic thinking,' Salam said. 'We envision a constitutional state governed by institutions rather than sectarian allocations and patronage networks — a sovereign entity free from external control, a decision-making state rather than a battleground for regional conflicts.' The prime minister concluded with Lebanon's strategic positioning: 'We seek a Lebanon controlling its destiny in both peace and war, firmly anchored in Arab identity while maintaining global openness, serving as an East-West communication bridge.' Salam believes that 'now that Lebanon has returned to the Arab fold, it longs to the active return of its Arab brothers, based on partnership and complementarity.' He thanked the UAE and its president for 'their supportive decisions and for allowing the brotherly Emirati people to visit Lebanon, their second country, again.' He pointed out that 'about 190,000 Lebanese live and work with utmost dedication and sincerity in the UAE, their second country, where they enjoy safety, security and quality of life.' The Lebanese prime minister mentioned 'the ongoing Israeli occupation of our territory,' and the 'daily Israeli violations of our sovereignty, while we work on fully implementing decision 1701, and commit to the cessation of hostilities.' Salam emphasized that 'Beirut was and still is a beacon for expression, a hub of freedoms, and a loud Arab voice in the face of darkness and closed-mindedness. Lebanon, this small country in its geography, deep in its wounds, and rich in its cultural and human heritage, is determined to reclaim its place at the heart of the Arab world and on the map of the future despite all the storms,' he said. Salam also mentioned the challenges facing the media these days, when 'media is no longer a true reflection, but a tool that shapes the public opinion, as well as peace and strife.' Those challenges, he said, required a new discourse. 'Today, we stand at a historic crossroads in the region; a delicate regional moment that calls for a new media discourse. One that counters efforts at marginalization and fragmentation and rekindles hope. 'We seek a modern, dynamic and diverse Arab media that shapes the future and does not dwell upon the past. One that opens windows rather than shuts them. That safeguards freedom rather than exploits it. The discourse, when truthful, can serve as a bridge toward more humane and cohesive societies.'
