The British Embassy in Beirut, in collaboration with the Department for Business and Trade Lebanon, hosted a Business and Trade reception to celebrate a historic milestone in bilateral trade between the UK and Lebanon. For the first time ever, bilateral trade figures surpassed the £1 billion mark, reaching a record high of £1.1 billion in 2023, reflecting an impressive increase of over 45% compared to 2022.

British exports to Lebanon saw significant growth, with export brands accounting for £160 million. The top five goods exported by the UK included mechanical power generators, cars, beverages, dairy products, and medicinal and pharmaceutical products. Additionally, services contributed over £600 million to the total trade figure.

The reception was attended by Lebanon’s Minister of Public Health, Dr Firas Abiad, along with a diverse group of Lebanese businesspeople and entrepreneurs investing in both Lebanon and the UK. Oliver Christian, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for the Middle East and Pakistan at the UK Department for Business and Trade delivered a recorded video message to the attendees.

During the event, British Ambassador Hamish Cowell remarked:

“Given the many local and regional challenges, it is great to be able to celebrate these record-breaking figures which are a testament to the strength of the UK-Lebanon partnership. They demonstrate the opportunities our businesses are finding in both countries. We are very keen to see more UK brands come to Lebanon. We are also supporting Lebanese investments in the UK across various sectors.

His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner Oliver Christian’s video message highlighted the robust relationship between the two nations:

We’re here to celebrate the strength of our UK-Lebanon relationship, evidenced by our bilateral trade figures which reached a record high in 2023. This achievement is remarkable in and of itself, but even more so in the context of the challenges that face Lebanon today.

British brands are widening their footprint in the Lebanese market. Just last month, The Entertainer Toy Shop opened its first branch in Lebanon. Baylis and Harding are now present in the market, and we expect more brands like EL&N Café to follow later this summer.

We’ve seen great success on our investment side as well, with brilliant Lebanese brands like Swiss Butter, Meat the Fish, and Nada Ghazal Jewellery now establishing in the UK.

I hope to visit soon to hear directly from you about the incredible country which has so much to offer.”

The event underscored the strong economic ties between the UK and Lebanon and highlighted the mutual benefits of increased trade and investment. With both nations continuing to explore and expand their commercial relationships, the future looks promising for further collaboration and economic growth.