اختتام أعمال المنتدى الاستثماري الاقتصادي اللبناني–الروسي «بيروت 2» بتوصيات لتعزيز التجارة والاستثمار بين البلدين

Beirut – Lebanon

The Lebanese–Russian Economic Investment Forum “Beirut 2” concluded its activities after being held in Beirut on October 6 and 7, 2026, under the patronage and in the presence of Lebanon’s Minister of Economy and Trade, Dr. Amer Al-Bassat.

The forum was organized for the second consecutive year by the Russian–Lebanese Cooperation Office “Roslivan,” headed by Mohamed Nassereldine, with the participation of directors and representatives of major Russian companies, alongside a number of Lebanese and Syrian companies.

The forum focused on strengthening economic, investment and commercial relations between Lebanon and Russia, identifying new and promising opportunities and developing practical frameworks capable of transforming opportunities and ideas into implementable projects and partnerships.

During the working sessions, participants discussed the capabilities available on both the Russian and Lebanese sides and ways to achieve higher levels of cooperation by expanding bilateral trade.

Discussions addressed the possibility of increasing Lebanese imports of goods and services available in Russia, particularly in light of Russia’s advanced technological and industrial capabilities, with the aim of raising the level of trade between the two countries.

Participants also stressed the importance of expanding access to the Russian market for Lebanese exports, particularly food industries and agricultural products such as apples, grapes and wine.

The discussions emphasized that Lebanese products should target the wider Russian market, rather than only Lebanese and Arab communities in Russia, while ensuring compliance with the required international standards and specifications.

The forum also featured extensive discussions on transforming ideas and opportunities into concrete projects and overcoming obstacles that continue to restrict the development of Lebanese–Russian economic, commercial and investment relations.

At the conclusion of the forum, participants adopted a series of recommendations and proposals.

Among the principal recommendations was the establishment of a permanent mechanism bringing together representatives of economic bodies in both countries to identify investment and commercial opportunities, follow negotiations between relevant parties, identify obstacles and propose practical solutions.

Participants also recommended that Lebanon make greater use of Russian expertise and capabilities, noting Russia’s willingness to cooperate and encouraging the Lebanese side to respond to these initiatives with practical steps.

The recommendations included preparing a continuously updated list of priority investment projects across productive sectors so that potential investors and interested institutions can clearly identify available opportunities.

The forum also emphasized the importance of restoring direct air connections between Lebanon and Russia in order to facilitate the movement of people, accelerate the transport of goods and reduce costs, thereby improving the competitiveness of products.

Participants noted that future growth in bilateral trade would also require the establishment of a direct maritime shipping route between the two countries to accelerate transportation and reduce logistical costs.

Another priority identified by the forum was strengthening payment mechanisms and financial and banking cooperation, which participants described as fundamental to commercial and investment activity.

The recommendations also called for addressing the financial and practical difficulties faced by businesspeople when completing commercial transactions in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Participants emphasized the importance of exchanging expertise, practices and experiences in order to improve mutual understanding and strengthen frameworks for cooperation.

They also stressed the need to provide a legal environment that protects and encourages mutual investment and establishes clear and effective mechanisms for resolving commercial and investment disputes.

The forum recommended organizing regular bilateral meetings between Lebanese and Russian companies and businesspeople to ensure continued communication and follow-up on opportunities and projects after the forum.

Participants emphasized that cooperation should involve both the public and private sectors, with the Lebanese and Russian states, together with their respective business communities, playing key roles in promoting productive and sustainable economic cooperation.

At the conclusion of the forum, participants called for preparations to begin immediately for “Beirut 3,” which they hope will represent a stronger new phase in Lebanese–Russian economic, commercial and investment cooperation.

The final recommendations stressed that the significant ties and potential shared by Lebanon and Russia provide a strong foundation for future cooperation and that the next phase should focus on transforming opportunities and understandings into concrete partnerships and projects that deliver measurable results for both sides.