Beirut: The inauguration of a new UAE consular service centre in Beirut could be an indication that Lebanon-UAE ties are warming.
Prime Minister Sa’ad Hariri and the UAE Ambassador to Lebanon, Hamad Saeed Al Shamsi, inaugurated the new centre in downtown Beirut on Tuesday.
Happy with the latest regional changes that have increased the chances of Arab Gulf tourists returning once again, Hariri emphasised the importance of the UAE to all Lebanese.
He underscored the country’s generosity over the years as it has stood by Lebanon, and affirmed his readiness to welcome Emiratis and all Gulf visitors once again.
In February 2016, Abu Dhabi banned its citizens from travelling to Lebanon, and reduced the size of its diplomatic staff in the country.
That measure, which is yet to be rescinded, followed an official announcement by Saudi Arabia that its citizens must leave Lebanon “for their own safety”.
At the time, Riyadh reacted to the Lebanese foreign minister’s refusal to endorse statements — by the League of Arab States and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation — which condemned mob attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran in January 2016. Simultaneously, Saudi Arabia cancelled a major aid package to Lebanon’s army and police forces.
Although President Michel Aoun visited King Salman in Riyadh and sought to regain the monarch’s trust, ties remained lukewarm, with few concrete changes as Hezbollah leaders continued to lambast Saudi leaders.
Aoun also travelled to Qatar to mend fences but did not visit the UAE. On Tuesday, the Lebanese premier reiterated the strong ties that unite Lebanon and the GCC, where an estimated 750,000 Lebanese work and whose remittances to family members approximate $7.5 billion (Dh27.54 billion) per year (about 15 per cent of GDP).
The UAE ambassador echoed Hariri’s sentiments towards Lebanon, reiterating that Emiratis perceive the country in a positive light. He adding: “We are confident that bilateral relations between Lebanon and the UAE and the Gulf states are doing well”.
The UAE embassy is currently located in Beirut’s southern suburb in Ramlet Al Baydah, a Shiite stronghold. A source with the foreign affairs ministry told Gulf News the new consulate service centre offers UAE citizens and Lebanese nationals alike a more secure location to conduct their affairs.
