The foreign policy of Lebanon reflects its geographic location, the composition of its population, and its reliance on commerce and trade. Until 2005, Lebanon's foreign policy had been heavily influenced by Syria, however beginning with the formation of Hezbollah in 1982, Iran had gradually grown to heavily influence Lebanon.[1][2]
The framework for relations was first codified in May 1991, when Lebanon and Syria signed a treaty of mutual cooperation. This treaty came out of the Taif Agreement, which stipulated that "Lebanon is linked to Syria by distinctive ties deriving strength from kinship, history, and common interests." The Lebanese-Syria treaty calls for "coordination and cooperation between the two countries" that would serve the "interests of the two countries within the framework of sovereignty and independence of each." Numerous agreements on political, economic, and security. After Syria's military withdrawal in 2005, Lebanon's foreign policy charted a more independent course.
Diplomatic relations
List of countries which Lebanon maintains diplomatic relations with:
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 18 December 1962 when has been accredited first Ambassador of Lebanon to Algeria Mr Hussein El Jissr.[78]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 June 1962 when first ambassador of Lebanon to Dahomey presented his credentials to President Hubert Maga.[77]
Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1962 when has been accredited Ambassador of Lebanon to Cameroon with residence in Dakar M. Mohamed Ali Hamade.[80]
Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1966 when has been accredited Ambassador of Lebanon to Central African Republic (resident in Accra) M. Khalil Itani.[92]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 11 March 1981 when first Ambassador of Lebanon to Djibouti (resident in Khartoum) Mr. Ibrahim Marouche presented his credentials to President M. Hassan Gouled Aptidon.[113]
Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1962 when Ambassador of Lebanon to Gabon M. Mohamed Ali Hamade presented his credentials to President Leon Mba.[81]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 June 1960 when Lebanese Government appointed its Minister to Liberia to be Minister to Guinea as well.[64]
Guinea is accredited to Lebanon from its embassy in Cairo, Egypt.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 October 2020 when Ambassador of Lebanon to Guinea-Bissau Mr. Fadi Zein has presented his credentials to President Ùmaro El Mokhtar Sissoco Embaló.[167]
Both countries established diplomatic relations when Liberian and Lebanese Governments to raise their Consulates General to the status of Legations, and a proclamation was issued announcing that the change would take effect from 1 January 1951.[46] In 1957 both countries raise their Legations to status of Embassies[170]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 18 October 2017 when ambassador of Malawi Mrs. Caroline Bwanali Mussa, has presented his credentials to President of Lebanon Michel Aoun.[162]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 9 October 1961 when first Lebanese Ambassador to Mali (resident in Accra) Dr. Karim Azqul presented his credentials to President Modibo Keita.[74]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 11 March 1962, when the first Lebanese Ambassador to Niger, Jean Hadji Thomas, presented his credentials to President Hamani Diori[75]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 June 1962 when first Ambassador of Lebanon to Togo (resident in Dakar) Mr. Mohammed Ali Hamade presented his credentials.[76]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 28 May 1949 when has been accredited Charge d'Affaires of Lebanon to Bolivia (resident in Bogota) Mr. Nazih Lahoud.[38][39]
Canada established diplomatic relations with Lebanon in 1954, when Canada deployed "Envoy Extraordinaire" to Beirut. In 1958, Canada sent its first Ambassador. The Embassy was closed in 1985 and reopened in January 1995. Lebanon opened a consulate in Canada in 1946. A Consulate-General replaced the Consulate in 1949, and an embassy was opened in Ottawa in 1958.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 September 1948 when has been accredited Mr. Nazih Lahoud as Minister of Lebanon to Ecuador (Resident in Bogota).[34]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 January 1951 when in official note approval was granted for Mr. Joseph Aboukater to serve as Extraordinary Envoy and Minister Plenipotentiary of Lebanon to the Government of Honduras, with residence in Mexico.[47]
The Centro Libanés and "Club Deportivo Libanés" in Mexico City are important symbols representing the historically cultural and social ties between both countries.
Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1963 when has been accredited Ambassador of Lebanon to Trinidad and Tobago (resident in Caracas) M. Halim Shebaya.[87]
The United States' interaction with Lebanon extends back to events such as the 1958 Lebanon crisis, which it sent in troops to fortify the government's position. Lebanon's southern neighbor, Israel, has also sent troops on several occasions, and attacked into Lebanon in response to Hezbollah kidnapping two Israeli soldiers. A possible source of friction between the U.S. and Lebanon is that most of Israel's weaponry is US-made, arguing possible US complicity in Israel's attacks.
Lebanon has an embassy in Washington, D.C. and consulates-general in Detroit, Los Angeles and New York City.[179]
Both countries established diplomatic relations in August 1948 when has been accredited Minister of Afghanistan to Lebanon (Resident in Bagdad) Mr. Ghulam Yahya Tarzi.[33]
The Embassy of Armenia to Lebanon was opened in June 1994. The Embassy of Lebanon was opened in Yerevan in September 1997.
Lebanon is host to the eighth largest Armenian population in the world. During the 2006 Lebanon War, Armenia announced that it would send humanitarian aid to Lebanon. According to the Armenian government, an unspecified amount of medicines, tents and fire-fighting equipment was allocated to Lebanese authorities on July 27, 2006.[183][184] On May 11, 2000, the Lebanese parliament voted to recognize the Armenian genocide.[185] Lebanon is the first Arab country and one of the few countries of the world to have done so.
China and Lebanon established diplomatic relations on November 1, 1954 and the embassy in Taipei opened in 1957. Lebanon shifted recognition from the Taipei-based Republic to the People's Republic on 9 November 1971.[98]
Both countries established diplomatic relatiobns on 24 February 1944 when first Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Iraq to Lebanon Mr. Tahsin Kadri presented his credentials as first foreign diplomatic representatives, who presented his letters of credentials to President Lebanon Mr.Bechara Khoury.[4]
Lebanon and Iraq share the same language and mutual support for each other in conflicts, Lebanon's relations with Iraq have at most times been cold. Issues include the Lebanese Government's strong material and political assistance of Hezbollah and ongoing clashes in Iraq between the Sunnis and Shias.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 October 1946 when has been accredited Minister of Transjordan to Lebanon Mr. Mohamed Ali Ajlouni.[25]
Lebanon and State of Palestine established diplomatic relations on 17 August 2011 when Palestinian diplomatic representation was raised to level an embassy and opened the Embassy of the State of Palestine to the Republic of Lebanon.[155]
The relationship between these two neighboring countries in Western Asia is complex: Syria has had troops stationed in Lebanon and has exerted political influence in the nation for many years.[191] However, Syria has only officially recognised Lebanon's sovereignty recently.[192]
Lebanon concluded negotiations on an association agreement with the European Union in late 2001, and both sides initialed the accord in January 2002, the accord becoming known as the EU-Lebanon Association Agreement. The EU-Lebanon Action Plan from January 19, 2007, gave a new impetus to bilateral relations in the framework of the European Neighborhood Policy.
Lebanon is one of the main Mediterranean beneficiaries of community assistance and the EU through its various instruments is Lebanon's leading donor. Starting from 2007 financial support is channeled through the European Neighborhood Policy Instrument. A Lebanon Country Strategy Paper 2007–2013 and a National Indicative Program 2007–2010 have been adopted by the EU. The assistance provided was refocused after the Second Lebanon War to engage in real help for the government and the society in reconstruction and reform of the country.[193]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 December 1951 when has been accredited Minister of Austria to Lebanon (resident in Cairo) M. Robert Friedinger-Pranter.[48]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 October 1953 when was accredited first Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Denmark to Lebanon (resident in Cairo) Mr. G. L. Host[50]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 November 1944 when has been appointed Mr. Ahmad Daouk as Minister Plenipotentiary of Lebanon to France. And 25 December 1944 has been opened Lebanese Legation (Embassy) in Paris.[10]
In 2007, French President Nicolas Sarkozy ordered ties with Syria to be suspended until proof Damascus was not interfering in the Lebanese political crisis was established.[198] A week after Sarkozy's statement in Cairo, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al Muallem announced Syria was ceasing their ties with France.[199] "Syria has decided to cease cooperation with France on the Lebanese crisis" said Mouallem. In July 2008, France and Syria decided to open embassies in each other's countries.[200] In April 2009, French and Lebanese officials approved the framework of a security agreement that besides improving bilateral relations include drugs and arms trafficking, illegal immigration and cyber-crime.[201]
France has an embassy in Beirut.
Lebanon as an embassy in Paris and a consulate-general in Marseille.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 17 June 1947, when first Minister of Greece to Lebanon with residence in Cairo M. Georges Triantaphyllidis presented his credentials[29]
The relation between both people dates back to early antiquity, with the early trading activities between the ancient Greeks and the Phoenicians. In modern times, Greek-Lebanese bilateral relations are very good at all levels. Greece has an embassy in Beirut and Lebanon has an embassy in Athens. Both countries are members of the Union for the Mediterranean and the Francophonie.
The Holy See has played a major role in the peace negotiations of Lebanon. It has sought to unify Christian factions that were separated after the Lebanese civil war. At the same time, it sought to reduce Christian-Muslim tensions and to preserve Christian communities that have been declining in many parts of Lebanon and elsewhere in the Middle East.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 November 1946 when has been accredited first Charge d'Affaires of Italy to Lebanon Mr. Adolfo Alessandrini.[27]
Lebanon opened a legation in 1946, which was transformed into an embassy in 1955.[203]
Both countries signed a Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Navigation in 1949.[citation needed]Rome supported the reconstruction of Lebanon after the Taef Agreement.[citation needed] Also, Italian companies, from almost all sectors, operate in Lebanon.[citation needed]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 9 June 2000 when accredited first Ambassador of Lebanon to Liechtenstein (resident in Berne) Mr. Samir Hobeica[142]
1 August 1944 Lebanon established diplomatic relations with Polish Government in exile in London. On October 20, 1956, the government of Lebanon accepted the initiative of the government of the Polish People's Republic regarding the establishment of diplomatic relations at the level of the deputies, which meant simultaneous withdrawal of the recognition of the Polish government in exile.[204]
Both countries established full diplomatic relations on 27 March 1942, when General Sir Edward Spears of the United Kingdom presented letters of credence to President Naccache of Lebanon[3]
20 February 1967 opened Australian Embassy in Beirut. It was closed in 1984 because of the security situation in Beirut. The Embassy was formally re-opened on 18 July 1995[208]
74,000 Lebanese-born people live in Australia, mainly in Sydney, and there are more people of Lebanese descent including Marie Bashir, Steve Bracks and Hazem El Masri.
Australia has a modest trade relationship with Lebanon and has also given foreign aid in the aftermath of the Lebanese civil war of 1975–1990.
25 November 1980 first Lebanese Ambassador to New Zealand with residence in Canberra Mr. Raymond Heneine presented his letters of credentials to Governor General of New Zealand.[109]
Lebanon is accredited to New Zealand from its embassy in Canberra, Australia.
New Zealand is accredited to Lebanon from its embassy in Cairo, Egypt.
1 2 British Documents on Foreign Affairs: Reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print. From 1946 through 1950. Near and Middle-East 1947. Eastern Affairs, January 1947-December 1947. University Publications of America, 2001. p.367.
↑ Cahiers de l'Institut d'études de l'Orient contemporain Volumes 2-3, Issues 5-8 (in French). Université de Paris. Institut d'études de l'Orient contemporain. 1946. p.85.
↑ España y ONU: 1947-1949 , estudio introductivo y Corpus documental. Editorial CSIC - CSIC Press, 1985. p.378.
1 2 Great Britain. Foreign Office, Malcolm Yapp, Michael Partridge, Paul Preston, University Publications of America (Firm). British Documents on Foreign Affairs--reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print: Israel, Syria, Arabia, The Middle East (General), Jordan and Arab Palestine and the Lebanon, January 1950-December 1950. 2002. p.191.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
1 2 James Dunkerley, Michael Partridge, Paul Preston (2005). British Documents on Foreign Affairs--reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print: Latin America, 1952. LexisNexis. p.301.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑ India News, Volume 9, Issues 16-29. ndia. High Commissioner in the United Kingdom. Public Relations Department. 1948. p.18.
↑ S. A. R. Bilgarami (1949). The Pakistan Year Book & Who's who. Kitabistan. p.53.
1 2 James Dunkerley, Michael Partridge, Paul Preston (2005). British Documents on Foreign Affairs--reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print: Latin America, 1951. LexisNexis. p.320.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
1 2 British Documents on Foreign Affairs--reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print: Latin America, 1952. LexisNexis. 2005. p.219.
1 2 Memoria que presenta al Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto ... ante el Congreso Ordinario de ... (in Spanish). Bolivia. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto. 1949. p.81.
1 2 British Documents on Foreign Affairs--reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print: Arabia, The Lebanon, Israel, Syria, Jordan and General, 1952. LexisNexis, 2006. p.311.
1 2 British Documents on Foreign Affairs: Ethiopia, Egypt, Morocco, Libya, and Africa (general), 1951. LexisNexis, 2005. p.87.
1 2 Memoria ... (in Spanish). Honduras. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores. 1951. p.167.
1 2 British Documents on Foreign Affairs--reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print: Arabia, The Lebanon, Israel, Syria, Jordan and General, 1952. LexisNexis. 2006. p.187.
↑ "من نحن". Embassy of Lebanon in Republic of Sudan - Khartoum (in Arabic). Retrieved January 2, 2024.
↑ "Relations bilatérales". République Tunisienne Ministère des Affaires Étrangères (in French). Archived from the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
1 2 Yitzhak Oron (1960). Middle East Record Volume 1, 1960 Volume 1. Published for The Israel Oriental Society, The Reuven Shiloah Research Center by George Weidenfeld & Nicolson Limited. p.370.
↑ "Bilateral Relations". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
↑ "The Lebanese Republic". Republic of Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
Burundi's relations with its neighbours have often been affected by security concerns. Hundreds of thousands of Burundian refugees have at various times crossed to neighboring Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians are in neighboring countries as a result of the ongoing civil war. Most of them, more than 340,000 since 1993, are in Tanzania. Some Burundian rebel groups have used neighboring countries as bases for insurgent activities. The 1993 embargo placed on Burundi by regional states hurt diplomatic relations with its neighbors; relations have improved since the 1999 suspension of these sanctions.
The foreign relations of Chad are significantly influenced by the desire for oil revenue and investment in Chadian oil industry and support for former Chadian President Idriss Déby. Chad is officially non-aligned but maintains close relations with France, its former colonial power. Relations with neighbouring countries Libya and Sudan vary periodically. Lately, the Idris Déby regime waged an intermittent proxy war with Sudan. Aside from those two countries, Chad generally enjoys good relations with its neighbouring states.
The Foreign relations of Egypt are the Egyptian government's external relations with the outside world. Egypt's foreign policy operates along a non-aligned level. Factors such as population size, historical events, military strength, diplomatic expertise and a strategic geographical position give Egypt extensive political influence in the Middle East, Africa, and within the Non-Aligned Movement as a whole. Cairo has been a crossroads of the Arab world's commerce and culture for centuries, and its intellectual and religious institutions are at the center of the region's social and cultural landmarks.
The foreign relations of Afghanistan are in a transitional phase since the 2021 fall of Kabul to the Taliban and the collapse of the internationally-recognized Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. No country has recognised the new regime, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Although some countries have engaged in informal diplomatic contact with the Islamic Emirate, formal relations remain limited to representatives of the Islamic Republic.
The foreign relations of Ghana are controlled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ghana. Ghana is active in the United Nations and many of its specialised agencies, the World Trade Organization, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States. Ghana generally follows the consensus of the Non-aligned Movement and the OAU on economic and political issues not directly affecting its own interests. Ghana has been extremely active in international peacekeeping activities under UN auspices in Lebanon, Afghanistan, Rwanda, and the Balkans, in addition to an eight-year sub-regional initiative with its ECOWAS partners to develop and then enforce a cease-fire in Liberia. Ghana is also a member of the International Criminal Court.
Since 1980, the foreign relations of Iraq have been influenced by a number of controversial decisions by the Saddam Hussein administration. Hussein had good relations with the Soviet Union and a number of western countries such as France and Germany, who provided him with advanced weapons systems. He also developed a tenuous relation with the United States, who supported him during the Iran–Iraq War. However, the Invasion of Kuwait that triggered the Gulf War brutally changed Iraq's relations with the Arab World and the West. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and others were among the countries that supported Kuwait in the UN coalition. After the Hussein administration was toppled by the 2003 U.S. invasion, the governments that succeeded it have now tried to establish relations with various nations.
The foreign relations of Jordan have been consistently a pro-Western foreign policy.
Since independence, with Jaja Wachuku as the first Minister for Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Relations, later called External Affairs, Nigerian foreign policy has been characterised by a focus on Africa as a regional power and by attachment to several fundamental principles: African unity and independence; capability to exercise hegemonic influence in the region: peaceful settlement of disputes; non-alignment and non-intentional interference in the internal affairs of other nations; and regional economic cooperation and development. In carrying out these principles, Nigeria participates in the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the United Nations.
Ensuring national security, increasing influence among its Arab neighbours and securing the return of the Golan Heights, have been the primary goals of the Syrian Arab Republic's foreign policy. At many points in its history, Syria has seen tension with its neighbours, such as Turkey, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon. Syria enjoyed an improvement in relations with several of the states in its region in the 21st century, prior to the Arab Spring and the Syrian Civil War.
Tanzania's first president, Julius Nyerere also was one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement, and, during the Cold War era, Tanzania played an important role in regional and international organisations, such as the Non-Aligned Movement, the front-line states, the G-77, and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). One of Africa's best-known elder statesmen, Nyerere was personally active in many of these organisations, and served chairman of the OAU (1984–85) and chairman of six front-line states concerned with eliminating apartheid in Southern Africa. Nyerere was also involved with peace negotiations in Burundi until his death. Nyerere's death, on 14 October 1999, is still commemorated annually.
Former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has maintained Tunisia's long-time policy of seeking good relations with the West, while playing an active role in Arab and African regional bodies. President Habib Bourguiba took a nonaligned stance but emphasized close relations with Europe, Pakistan, and the United States.
The diplomatic foreign relations of the United Arab Emirates are conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Uganda has formal diplomatic relations with many countries, some accredited. Since the colonial era and after independence Uganda has grown to be one of the most important African countries. Uganda has diplomatic relations with many countries throughout Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania. Uganda is a member of the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations since 1962.
Geography is an important factor in informing Iran's foreign policy. Following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the newly formed Islamic Republic, under the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini, dramatically reversed the pro-American foreign policy of the last Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Since then the country's policies have oscillated between the two opposing tendencies of revolutionary ardour to eliminate Western and non-Muslim influences while promoting the Islamic revolution abroad, and pragmatism, which would advance economic development and normalization of relations. Iran's bilateral dealings are accordingly sometimes confused and contradictory.
After seizing power in the 1972 coup d'état, Major Mathieu Kérékou declared the People's Republic of Benin a Marxist-Leninist state and sought financial support from communist governments in Eastern Europe and Asia. To distance the modern state from its colonial past, the country became the People's Republic of Benin in 1975. However, Benin dropped the socialist ideology in 1989 following pressure from creditors and domestic unrest related to economic hardship.
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau follows a nonaligned foreign policy and seeks friendly and cooperative relations with a wide variety of states and organizations. France, Portugal, Angola, Brazil, Egypt, Nigeria, Libya, Cuba, the Palestine Liberation Organization, Ghana, and Russia have diplomatic offices in Bissau.
Sierra Leone maintains formal relations with many Western nations. It also maintains diplomatic relations with the former Soviet Bloc countries as well as with the People's Republic of China.
Throughout the Cold War, Ivory Coast's foreign policy was generally favorable toward the West. In particular, Félix Houphouët-Boigny kept relations with France that was among the closest between any African country and a former colonial power. The country became a member of the United Nations at independence in 1960 and participates in most of its specialized agencies. It is also an associate member of the European Union. In general, President Bédié initiated and maintained relations with many countries of the European Union and Asia. Ivory Coast maintains a wide variety of diplomatic contacts.
The 1955 Austrian State Treaty ended the four-power occupation and recognized Austria as an independent and sovereign state. In October 1955, the Federal Assembly passed a constitutional law in which "Austria declares of her own free will her perpetual neutrality." The second section of this law stated that "in all future times Austria will not join any military alliances and will not permit the establishment of any foreign military bases on her territory." Since then, Austria has shaped its foreign policy on the basis of neutrality.
Chile–Lebanon relations refers to the current and historical relations between Chile and Lebanon. Both nations are members of the Group of 77 and the United Nations.
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