On November 16, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon, the Embassy of Lebanon in Moscow and the Russian-Lebanese Business Council held a webinar, titled "Investment cooperation between Lebanon and Russia," which discussed issues of bilateral cooperation between Moscow and the Republic of Lebanon.
Participants of the meeting agreed that Lebanese businesses have a very little presence on the Moscow and Russian platforms. This is despite the fact that many Lebanese entrepreneurs graduated from Soviet and Russian educational institutions. In other words, there are foundations and opportunities for mutually understandable and mutually beneficial communication.
The Vice-President of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Suren Vardanyan, spoke at the webinar. He reminded that theMoscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry has always paid close attention to the issue of foreign economic cooperation and, as of today, has signed more than 140 agreements on cooperation with Chambers of Commerce and business associations of many countries. Mr. Vardanyan stated that the existing cooperation with Lebanon neither corresponds to the available opportunities and possibilities our countries have at their disposal, nor to the challenges the world currently throws at us. Therefore, private businesses are forced to look for applicable niches to solve the issues of interaction.
Meanwhile, the MCCI has been working closely with the Russian-Lebanese Business Council, business associations, allowing to develop several proposals, that have already been sent to the Chamber of Beirut and the Embassy of Lebanon. Mr. Suren Vardanyan outlined these proposals.
The first is to hold a meeting, where the MCCI members could answer questions, concerning work in the Russian market, its needs and requirements. The MCCI is ready to sign an agreement with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut and Mountainous Lebanon. At the same time the MCCI expressed the wish that the annex to this agreement should be a plan of specific measures that the parties will implement together.
The MCCI is ready to consider the possibility of organizing online B2B negotiations between Lebanese and Russian companies.
The MCCI is considering creating a joint platform for a dynamic interaction between Lebanon and Moscow and invites the Embassy of Lebanon to consider the possibility of creating a business club at the Embassy and the MCCI.
Concluding his speech, Mr. Vardanyan stressed: "The Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomes comprehensive cooperation”.
Winding up the event, Lebanese representatives agreed to all of Mr. Vardanyan's proposals and formulated several important outcomes of the webinar:
- Assigning a deadline of three months to revise all of the "hanging" agreements between Russia and Lebanon
Signed was a memorandum of understanding between the Chambers of Moscow and Beirut.
- Development of a "road map" within the framework of the aforementioned memorandum.
- Плотное сотрудничество с банком Ливана для разработки и определения возможностей для развития торгово-финансовой кооперации в банковской сфере.
- Close cooperation with the Bank of Lebanon to develop and identify opportunities for the development of trade and financial cooperation in the banking sector.
Участники встречи выразили удовлетворение итогами мероприятия и надежду на будущие встречи.
The participants of the meeting expressed satisfaction with the results of the event and a hope for future meetings.