Saudi Arabia was the top destination for Lebanese agricultural exports in 2019.
Saudi Arabia will examine “obstacles” to resuming Lebanese imports and end the ban on citizens traveling to Lebanon.
Saudi Arabia and Lebanon emphasized strengthening Arab cooperation and aligning positions on significant regional and global issues.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced in a joint statement following his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh on Tuesday. It was Aoun’s first international travel since assuming office in January.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman extended an invitation, and the visit was in response to an invitation. The Crown Prince was happy and welcomed President Aoun’s invitation to visit Lebanon.
During the Al-Yamamah Palace meeting in Riyadh, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greeted President Aoun on behalf of King Salman, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and offered his best wishes for Lebanon’s development and stability.
The joint statement pointed out that President Aoun wished the Saudi monarch well and hoped for the Saudi people’s success.
During their formal discussions, the two leaders reviewed the close bilateral ties between their countries and looked at potential areas of future collaboration.
The two countries reaffirmed that they are committed to fully implementing the Taif Agreement that officially ended the Lebanese civil war and the enforcement of relevant international resolutions, extending the state sovereignty over all Lebanese territories and the Lebanese state’s exclusive possession of weapons by the Lebanese state.
The 1989 Taif Agreement, officially known as the National Reconciliation Accord was reached to end the civil war and restore political normalcy in Lebanon.
Saudi Arabia has renewed its involvement in Lebanese affairs after a long period where it kept its distance from Lebanon due to the prominence of Iran-backed Hezbollah, which, after last year’s conflict with Israel, got reduced.
Both countries have asked for the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from all Lebanese territory, stressing the national responsibility of the Lebanese Aram and the need to support them.
According to the statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency, the two parties decided to start researching the challenges faced while exporting from the Lebanese Republic to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the steps needed to allow Saudi nationals to visit Lebanon.
In April 2021, the kingdom stopped imports of fruits and vegetables from Lebanon after an accusation that they were using the shipment for drug smuggling and blaming Beirut for the delay.
According to a 2020 Lebanese government study, Saudi Arabia was the top destination for Lebanese agricultural exports in 2019, accounting for 22.1% of their total exports.
Since 2021, Saudis have also had to get permission from their government before traveling to Lebanon due to their tense relations.
The two countries have also agreed that the Israeli occupying troops must leave Lebanese territory under the November ceasefire.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced last week that troops would stay in what he called a “buffer zone” forever after they got their deadline extended till February 18 for Israel to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon.
On Monday evening, Aoun landed in Saudi Arabia, the first time a Lebanese head of state has visited Riyadh in eight years.
After Riyadh stopped $3 billion in military help to the Lebanese army in 2016 due to Hezbollah’s influence, Aoun told the Saudi Arabian publication Asharq al-Awsat on Friday that he would also try to restore military aid if at all possible.