Business in Lebanon, Beirut

The objectives of the subject “Foreign Trade and Business in the Lebanese Republic” are the following:

1. To analyse the Lebanese Economy and Foreign Trade (Import, Export, FDI)
2. To know the business opportunities in the Lebanese Republic
3. To explore the Lebanese trade relations with the country of the student
4. To know the Lebanese Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
5. To examine the profile of Lebanese companies
6. To develop a business plan for the Lebanese market

Lebanese Preferential Access and Free Trade Agreements

1. Lebanon and the Arab Economic Area
2. Greater Arab Free-Trade Area (GAFTA)
3. European Union-Lebanon Association Agreement
   1. Euro-Mediterranean Partnership
4. Trade Agreements with Turkey, Syria, Kuwait, Egypt...
5. United Kingdom-Lebanon Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
6. European Free Trade Association-Lebanon Free Trade Agreement
7. Islamic Trade Preferential System (TPS-OIC)

Trade Facilitation Programs

1. World Trade Organisation (WTO) (in process of accession)
2. Customs Convention on Containers (CCC, UN)
3. International Maritime Organisation (IMO)
   1. Convention Relating to Temporary Admission (Istanbul Convention) - not a member
4. Convention on the Carriage of Goods by Sea (Hamburg Rules, UN)
5. Uniform Rules concerning the Contract of International Carriage of Goods by Rail (CIM, CIT)
6. Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF)
7. International Bureau of Containers and Intermodal Transport (BIC)
8. International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO, Chicago Convention)
9. International Road Transport Union (IRU)
   1. TIR Convention
   2. Guidelines on Safe Load Securing for Road Transport
10. Is not a member of the World Customs Organisation (WCO)
    1. Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC)

Islamic Organisations

1. Arab League (LAS)
2. Summit of South American-Arab Countries (ASPA)
3. Asia-Middle East Dialogue (AMED)
4. Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)
5. Economic Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
6. Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
   1. tanding Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC)
   2. Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI)
   3. Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT)
   4. Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC)
7. Afro-Arab Cooperation
8. Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA)
9. Arab Development Funds
10. Arab Trade Financing Programme (ATFP)

Global Organisations

1. United Nations (UN)
   1. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
   2. International Trade Centre (INTRACEN)
   3. Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)
   4. World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
2. World Bank (WB)
3. World Trade Organisation (WTO)
4. International Monetary Fund (IMF)

The Lebanese Republic:

1. With 5.8 million people, Lebanon has 75% of Muslim population and 25% of Christians
2. The Lebanese Republic shares borders with Syria and Israel
3. Arab and French are the official languages in Lebanon
4. The capital of the Lebanese Republic is Beirut (1.8 million people), an important regional foreign trade Port
5. The main Lebanese cities are Beirut, Baabda, Saida, Baalbek, Zahle, Tripoli, and Nabatiyeh
6. The headquarters of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) are in Beirut (Lebanon)
7. Independence of Lebanon: 1946 (from France)
8. Lebanese Government: Parliamentary Democracy
9. Area of Lebanon: 10,452 square kilometres
10. Human Development Index of Lebanon: 0.765

Religion in Lebanon.

1. Islam Sunni is the main religion in Lebanon (75% population), the largest school of Islamic Jurisprudence is the Hanafi
2. In Lebanon, there are about 1 million Maronites (Christians Catholics)
3. Beirut is divided between Christian and Muslim areas

Lebanon belongs to the Arab Economic Area (Islamic Civilisation).

Lebanese Economy.

1. The Lebanese agricultural sector accounts for about 7% of the GDP.
2. The Lebanese industrial sector represents 22% of the GDP and the services sector 71% of the gross domestic product, highlighting the financial and commercial sector
3. Top Lebanese public companies: Middle East Airlines, Electricity of Lebanon, Water Company, TV Lebanon Tobacco Company, and the National Wheat and Beet
4. Currency of Lebanon: Lebanese Pound (LBP)
5. Unemployment Rate: 13%
6. Labour Force in Lebanon: 1.6 million people

Foreign Trade of Lebanon.

1. Major supplier of the Lebanese Republic: The United States (11%), China (9%), France (8%), Italy (7%), and Germany (6.3%)
2. Major export destinations of the Republic of Lebanon: Switzerland, Iraq, Syria, and Saudi Arabia
3. Machinery and electrical equipment accounted for 21% of the Lebanese exports, jewellery (13%), chemicals (11%), and food (7%)
4. Top Lebanese imports: Mineral fuels (27%), machinery (12%), transport equipment (12%), and pharmaceutical products (4%)

Carlos Slim (Maronite of the Lebanese ascendency)

Safra (Judaism)

Turkey-Lebanon Free Trade Agreement (FTA)