Mohammad Choucair, President of the Economic Bodies and President of the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, chaired a meeting of the Lebanese–Emirati Business Council at the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Chamber. The meeting was dedicated to launching the council with the aim of developing and strengthening economic relations between the two countries.

The board of directors of the Lebanese-Emirati Business Council consists of: Wassim Daher, Sofiane Al Saleh, Nicolas Bou Khater, Wissam Al Arees, Danny Richa, Nazih Hamad, Osama Choucair, Jacques Ghazi Sarraf, Ziad Al Malla, Salim Al Zeer, Nayla Abboud Arnid, Raja Al Khatib, Michel Abshi, Afif Nsouli, Rami El-Jisr, John Tamer, Nada Abed Al Samad, Faysal Abou Zaki, and Naaman Atallah.

At the beginning of the meeting, Choucair emphasized the importance of activating the Lebanese-Emirati Business Council, in line with the historical and fraternal relations that bind the two countries and their peoples. This step is part of the resolutions from the Lebanese-Emirati summit between President Joseph Aoun and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, which took place during Aoun’s visit to the United Arab Emirates.

Flag of the UAE. (Archive)

He pointed out that the council includes a select group of Lebanese business leaders who maintain commercial relations with the UAE,  saying, "I am confident that the council will contribute to achieving a qualitative leap in Lebanese-Emirati economic relations."

Choucair also emphasized the depth of the distinguished historical and fraternal ties between Lebanon and the UAE, as well as the UAE’s continued support for Lebanon at various stages and its hosting of the Lebanese diaspora. He affirmed that the Economic Bodies and the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Chamber will always stand side by side with the Lebanese–Emirati Business Council to advance bilateral relations.

Council Executive Bureau
The meeting then proceeded with the election of the Executive Bureau of the Council, which resulted as follows: Wassim Daher as President, Soufiane Al-Saleh as Vice President, Nicolas Bou Khater as Secretary-General, Wissam Al-Ariss as Treasurer, and Danny Richa and Nazih Hamad as Advisory Members.

After the elections, the council's president, Wassim Daher, thanked Choucair for his confidence and great interest in activating the Lebanese-Emirati Business Council.

He affirmed that the council "will work as a team to develop a roadmap for the development and enhancement of Lebanese-Emirati economic relations, to be completed soon".

Daher noted the importance of these relations between the two countries, their advanced level, as well as the care and support Lebanon and the Lebanese receive from the UAE and its leadership. Daher pointed out that "there are many opportunities and fields of cooperation that must be worked on to achieve real progress on this path, and we will make this issue a priority."