Kazakhstan – Lebanon
General information.
Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Lebanese Republic were established on April 20, 1993 through an exchange of notes.
The diplomatic mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Beirut has been operating since March 2004 (Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 1309 dated March 17, 2004 «On the Opening of the Diplomatic Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Lebanese Republic»). The head of the mission is E. Kalekenov (since May 2019).
From 2015 to June 2019, the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Jordan, A. Berdybai, was the nonresident Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Lebanon.
Lebanon opened its Embassy in Almaty on September 6, 1994. In 1997, the Lebanese side decided to close the diplomatic mission. In November 2007, the activities of the Lebanese Embassy in the Republic of Kazakhstan were restored.
Since May 2018, the Lebanese Ambassador to the city of Nur-Sultan - Ghisqar al-Khoury.
Since 2002, Lebanese businessman Y. Kanaan has been Honorary Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Lebanon.
Political cooperation.
In August 2003, the Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri paid an official visit to Kazakhstan. He was received by the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - the Leader of the nation Nursultan Nazarbayev, held talks with the Chairman of the Mazhilis of the Parliament, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Following the visit, the prime ministers of the two countries signed a Declaration of understanding between Kazakhstan and Lebanon, which fixed the intention of the parties to develop bilateral political relations, as well as cooperation in the socio-economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres.
In June 2004, a parliamentary delegation of the Republic of Kazakhstan headed by the Chairman of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan visited Beirut. During the visit, the Speaker of the Majilis held meetings with the President of Lebanon Emil Lahoud, the Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, the Chairman of the Parliament Nabih Berry and the Minister for Foreign Affairs J. Obaid.
In April 2010, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Karim Massimov paid an official visit to Lebanon, during which meetings were held with President M. Suleiman, Chairman of the Parliament Nabih Berry, Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Ali Hassan al-Shami. During the visit, a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries was signed.
Former Prime Minister of Lebanon Fuad Sinioura took part in the VІI World Islamic Economic Forum (June 2011) and VІI Astana Economic Forum (May 2014), during which he was received by the speakers of the Senate and the Mazhilis of the Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Minister foreign affairs, and also met with the First Deputy Chairman of the Nur Otan Party and the General Director of NK EXPO-2017.
Lebanon supported the candidacy of Kazakhstan for membership in the UN Security Council Commission on Human Rights for 2013-2015, non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council for 2017-2018, as well as for the holding of the EXPO-2017 exhibition.
On August 27-29, 2012, as part of the international conference «From the Prohibition of Nuclear Tests to a World Free of Nuclear Weapons», a Lebanese delegation led by MP Saad Saade visited Kazakhstan.
On September 10-11, 2017, the Minister of Energy and Water Resources of Lebanon, S. Abi Khalil, attended the 1st OIC Summit on Science and Technology.
On July 5, 2017, Beirut hosted the first round of political consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries.
Ambassador Gadi al-Khoury, Director of the Political and Consular Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of Lebanon, participated as an observer in the 13th and 14th rounds of high-level meetings on Syria in the framework of the Astana process in Nur-Sultan August 1-2 and December 10-11, 2019, respectively.
The Lebanese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), took part in the 2nd meeting of the General Assembly of the Islamic Organization for Food Security, which was held on August 27-29, 2019 in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia).
On September 23-24, 2019, the parliamentary delegation, consisting of deputies of the House of Representatives (Parliament) of Lebanon, GaziZaiter and Jihad al-Samad, took part in the IV meeting of speakers of parliaments of Eurasian countries on the topic «Greater Eurasia: Dialogue. The trust.Partnership» in Nur-Sultan.
Trade and economic cooperation.
The volume of mutual trade for 9 months of 2019 amounted to $ 6.1 million (export - 5.9 million, import - 151 thousand), in 2018 - $ 8.8 million (export - 8.5 million, import - 215 thousand), and in 2017 - $ 3.2 million (export - 2.8 million, import - 371 thousand).
In September 1997, in order to establish bilateral trade and economic relations and familiarize themselves with investment conditions, Kazakhstan was visited by a delegation of the Lebanese Association of Industrialists and representatives of Al-Mabani, who held talks in the ministries of economy and trade, agriculture, as well as the State Committee on investments, chamber of commerce and industry, Akimat of Nur-Sultan.
On July 12-17, 2012, a meeting of the Assembly of business circles was held in Lebanon, which significantly revived relations between representatives of small and medium-sized businesses, universities, scientific, public institutions and associations from Kazakhstan and Lebanon.
On October 1, 2014, a business forum was organized in Beirut, entitled «Factors of Attractiveness of the Investment Climate in the Republic of Kazakhstan».
On March 6, 2019, a meeting with the public of the city was held at the Elite Cultural and Educational Center in Tripoli, and Kazakhstan Day was organized on March 7, 2019 at the northern branch of the University of Lebanon.
A number of Lebanese companies are successfully operating in the Kazakhstani market. The company «CCC» contributed to the development of the city of Nur-Sultan, participated in the construction of the symbol of the capital - Baiterek and the city park. Currently, CCC is a subcontracting organization involved in the implementation of the Abu Dhabi Plaza project in Nur-Sultan.
In addition, companies such as Dar Al-Handasah, Azadea Kazakhstan, Paladin and Ruby Rose work in the Kazakhstani market. Today, Kazakhstan can rightfully be considered one of the most promising partners of Lebanon in Central Asia.
Cultural and humanitarian cooperation.
In August 2010, a delegation of the American University of Beirut (AUB), led by Vice President for Development of Regional External Programs, H.Diab, visited the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In 2013, a trip was organized to Beirut by the creative team of the Kazakh National Academy of Arts named after T.Zhurgenov, headed by the rector A. Muhamediuly. A concert was held as part of the visit, and an Agreement on creative cooperation was signed with the University of Lebanon.
In April 2014, a presentation of the book «Kazakhstan-Lebanon Relations: 20 Years of Successful Partnership» was held in Lebanon.
In 2012, Kazakhstan, through the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, allocated $ 200,000 to the Lebanese government to support Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
Lebanese writers Yousef Murtada and Abdulsamad Uaji took part in the I Forum of Asian Writers, held on September 4-6, 2019 in Nur-Sultan.
Military cooperation
On June 2-4, 2016, the Chief of Staff of the Lebanese Armed Forces, General W. Salman, led the delegation as part of participation in the specialized exhibition «KADEX-2016» in Nur-Sultan. During the visit, negotiations were held with the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan Imangaly Tasmagambetov, further ways of developing cooperation in the military sphere were discussed.
On June 15, 2018, the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan approved the dispatch as Kazakhstani peacekeepers of up to 120 military personnel. to participate in the mission of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) as part of the Indian Armed Forces. The dispatch of the peacekeeping contingent took place at the end of October 2018.
The planned rotation of the Kazakh troops took place as part of the working visit of the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nurlan Yermekbayev to Lebanon on May 13-14, 2019.
On November 26, 2019, the next rotation of the military of Kazakhstan was carried out as part of the participation in the UNIFIL mission.