UAE will lift travel ban to Lebanon after 3 years
UAE to Lift travel ban on Citizens Visiting Lebanon Imposed During 2021 Diplomatic Tensions
According to a report by the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency and Reuters, the UAE will revoke its three-year travel ban on Emirati citizens visiting Lebanon.This decision was announced in a joint statement following a meeting in Abu Dhabi between Lebanese President michel Aoun and his Emirati counterpart, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.
Both sides agreed to facilitate movement between the two countries, emphasizing necessary measures and appropriate mechanisms for citizen travel. The UAE had imposed the ban in 2021,recalling its diplomats from Beirut in what was described as solidarity with Saudi Arabia. This move came after criticism by a Lebanese minister of Riyadh-led military intervention in Yemen.
However, Lebanese citizens were not barred from traveling to the UAE, though they faced visa issuance challenges. The joint statement noted that Abu Dhabi’s Development Fund—which supports infrastructure projects abroad—will dispatch a delegation to Lebanon to explore potential joint initiatives.
In March, saudi Arabia announced it would review barriers to resuming imports from Lebanon and ending its own travel restrictions on citizens visiting Beirut. This followed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s meeting with President Aoun during his first foreign trip since taking office in January.
