Khalaf al-Habtoor pledges to put Lebanon on his 'international investment map'

BEIRUT — Emirati businessman Khalaf Ahmad al-Habtoor met with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at the Grand Serail on Friday where he promised to "include Lebanon on the map of [his] international investments," as part of a string of high-profile meetings with Lebanese officials.

This is the billionaire's first visit to Lebanon in 15 years. It's the second stop on his trip, which began in Syria, where he signed a cooperation agreement with the country's investment authority in support of development projects.

Habtoor met with President Joseph Aoun at Baabda Palace on Thursday, where he told him that "businessmen are preparing to return to invest in Lebanon," calling the country a "prime destination for Arab and foreign investors."

In a brief post on X, the Grand Serail said that "the meeting focused on investment opportunities in Lebanon, at a time when the country's renewed climate is boosting confidence and encouraging Arab investors to return."

Later in the day, Habtoor met with Grand Mufti of the Republic Sheikh Abdellatif Deriane at Dar al-Fatwa. According to the state-run National News Agency, the discussions covered "public affairs and the strengthening of relations between Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the economic situation and investment prospects."

Last April, he unveiled a project for his iconic Lebanese hotel, the Metropolitan Beirut in Sin al-Fil, which would involve dismantling the building and reassembling it at an undisclosed location. However, on Friday he stated on X that, instead, the property "will soon reopen its doors, like the Habtoor Grand, to become a new source of pride in the hotel industry."

Habtoor, known for his criticism of Hezbollah, suspended his investments in Lebanon at the end of January after initially expressing plans to relaunch his projects “as soon as the future government was formed.” At the time, he cited “the lack of security and economic prospects,” two months after the cease-fire that ended more than a year of war between Hezbollah and Israel.

Also in January, Habtoor said Lebanon was still not stable, revealing that in 2024, he received online threats of “massacre and assassination” from an anonymous individual. He filed a complaint with the Lebanese judiciary.