UAE lifts travel ban on Lebanon following president’s visit to Abu Dhabi

By Ibrahim Khazen and Ikram Kouachi

ISTANBUL (AA) – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) lifted a long-standing travel ban on Lebanon on Sunday, a decision that comes just days after a visit by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to the Gulf country.

In an official statement, the UAE Foreign Ministry confirmed that Emirati citizens will be allowed to travel to Lebanon as of May 7.

The ministry said the decision comes as a step toward strengthening "brotherly relations" with Lebanon following a “working visit” by the Lebanese president to Abu Dhabi during which he met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

According to the statement, the two leaders agreed to facilitate travel between the two countries by implementing necessary procedures and mechanisms to ensure smooth mobility.

The ministry emphasized that UAE citizens wishing to travel to Lebanon must comply with specific conditions, including mandatory registration with an emergency contact system that enables the UAE government to reach its nationals abroad during crises.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the Emirati decision, calling it “a clear sign of the deep fraternal ties between the two countries.”

In January, the UAE reopened its embassy in Beirut after more than three years of closure, marking a significant thaw in bilateral relations.

The original travel ban and diplomatic withdrawal were imposed in October 2021 after controversial remarks made by then-Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi concerning the war in Yemen, prompting Abu Dhabi and several Gulf nations to recall their envoys and restrict travel to Lebanon.