UAE reopens embassy in Lebanon as MBZ hosts Mikati in Abu Dhabi
The move comes as Lebanon continues to face deteriorating political, economic and security conditions.
BEIRUT — The United Arab Emirates on Thursday announced plans to reopen its embassy in Beirut, which has been closed since 2021, the Emirates' state-run WAM news agency reported.
The announcement came during a meeting in Abu Dhabi between Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
According to WAM, the two sides agreed to "take the necessary steps to reopen the UAE Embassy in Beirut and establish a joint committee to develop a mechanism to facilitate the issuance of entry visas for Lebanese citizens to the UAE.”
In October 2021, several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, recalled their ambassadors to Beirut following critical comments on the Yemeni war made by a Lebanese minister. At the time, then-Information Minister George Kordahi said in a TV interview that Yemen's Houthi rebels were defending themselves against foreign aggression, hinting at Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
