Economy and Trade Minister Amer Bsat, the President of the Economic and Social Council, Charles Arbid and the President of the Economic Authorities, Mohammad Choucair, during the launch of the "Beirut One" conference, on Oct. 21, 2025. (Credit: Stéphanie Béchara)
BEIRUT — Economy and Trade Minister Amer Bsat and President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, Charles Arbid, launched Tuesday the Beirut One investor conference during an official ceremony in Beirut.
The conference, set to take place on Nov. 18 and 19, aims to “reinvigorate investment in the Lebanese economy,” according to the event’s press release. It will feature a series of specialized platforms and panel discussions, each focused on one of the country’s key economic sectors.
“It will present tangible investment projects — including a capital investment program exceeding $7.5 billion — and facilitate direct B2B meetings between local and international investors,” Bsat explained.
Among those present, the minister noted, will be the senior representatives from the World Bank, Arab investment funds and major global firms, including BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, Al Ghurair, Orascom and General Atlantic.
The announcement comes amid a tense regional climate, as Lebanon continues to endure near-daily Israeli strikes despite a cease-fire that has been in place for almost a year. In the context of upholding the truce, the international community is pressing Lebanese authorities to reassert their monopoly over weapons, as Hezbollah still refuses to relinquish its arsenal — two factors that continue to hinder investor confidence.
Another factor at play is the long-delayed economic and financial reforms, notably the adoption of the Gap resolution law, a key condition for reaching an agreement with the IMF, with which negotiations have so far yielded no results.
Concerning the timing of the conference, Arbid said that “waiting only produces negative reactions to events, while acting now gives Lebanon and its investment partners a head start.”
“The conference does not overlook political and security realities; it addresses them with pragmatism. Creating investment opportunities is not merely a consequence of stability, but is one of its driving forces,” he added.
“The anticipated results of this conference will provide answers to other pressing issues – notably reconstruction and broader stability,” Arbid said.
