By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Saudi Arabia is considering reviewing “obstacles” to resume imports from Lebanon and lift restrictions on its nationals visiting the country, the two governments announced on Tuesday as diplomatic relations improve.
The joint statement came a day after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in Riyadh on his first trip abroad since taking office in January.
Saudi Arabia has recently renewed its interest in Lebanese politics after a prolonged period of distancing itself due to the influence of Iran-backed Hezbollah, which was largely decimated following last year’s war with Israel.
“The two sides agreed to start studying the obstacles facing the resumption of exports from the Lebanese Republic to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the measures necessary to allow Saudi citizens to travel to Lebanon,” the statement published by the official Saudi Press Agency said.
In April 2021, the kingdom suspended fruit and vegetable imports from Lebanon, alleging that shipments were being used for drug smuggling and accusing Beirut of inaction.
Saudi Arabia was Lebanon’s top agricultural export destination in 2019, accounting for 22.1% of exports, according to a Lebanese government report published in 2020.
Since 2021, Saudis have also required government permission to travel to Lebanon due to strained relations.
Aoun’s election, backed by both Riyadh and Washington was made possible by the weakening of Hezbollah and the overthrow of its ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria which shifted the balance of power in Lebanon.
The two sides agreed on the importance of “extending the state’s sovereignty over all Lebanese territory, restricting weapons possession to the Lebanese state, emphasising the national role of the Lebanese army, and the importance of supporting it,” the statement said.
In 2016, Riyadh halted $3 billion in military aid to the Lebanese army, citing Hezbollah’s political influence.
On Friday, Aoun told Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that he would “seek, if possible, to reactivate military aid” during his Riyadh visit.
The joint statement also “emphasised the importance of implementing the commitments made in the presidential oath.”
Upon taking office, Aoun pledged to usher in a new era where the state would have a “monopoly on weapons” in a country where Hezbollah remains the only faction to have retained its arms since the 1975-1990 civil war.
