The Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Boukhari, received MP Nadim Gemayel on Friday, accompanied by a delegation of industrialists. They presented him with proposals for lifting the Saudi boycott of Lebanese products. The document presented to the ambassador includes several proposals in this regard:
— Impose, with the help of Saudi customs, preemptive control over exports by land, sea or air to Saudi Arabia. This control could be carried out by international specialized companies, as is the case in many countries.
— Grant joint authorization to companies and institutions that adhere to safe transport conditions for goods to prevent potential threats to Saudi Arabia’s security.
The industrialists also assessed the volume of trade in pharmaceutical products. They pointed out that 175 Saudi medicines are registered in Lebanon, compared to 16 Lebanese medicines listed in Saudi Arabia. They emphasized that the Saudi boycott of Lebanese products results in losses in the pharmaceutical sector amounting to “more than 15 million US dollars per year.”
In this context, Gemayel stressed the importance of Lebanese-Saudi cooperation and the urgent need for Riyadh’s support for the Lebanese industry.
In November 2021, Saudi Arabia announced the suspension of imports of Lebanese products, which affected the country’s economy as, according to 2020 figures, Riyadh was the third-largest market for Lebanese exports.
