# Presentation: 347273

## Lebanon Overview

## Facts and Figures

**-- ****Size: 10,452 Km2**
**-- ****Population: 3.7 million in Lebanon and over 12 million abroad****.**
**-- ****GDP 2006: $ 22.6 billion (IMF)**
**-- ****GDP Growth 2007: estimated at 2% (IMF)**
**-- ****GDP per Capita 2006: $6,108**
**-- ****Inflation 2006: 5.6 % (IMF)**
**-- ****Lebanon’s total imports in 2006: $9.4 billion**
**-- ****Lebanon’s total exports in 2006: $2.3 billion**
**-- ****U.S. exports to Lebanon: around $1 billion**
**-- ****Lebanese exports to the U.S.: $89 million**

## Free market economy
Free movement of capital
Limited restrictions on investors 
Highly dollarized economy  
Highly educated labor force 
Good quality of life

**Free market economy**
**Free movement of capital**
**Limited restrictions on investors **
**Highly dollarized economy  **
**Highly educated labor force **
**Good quality of life**

**Lebanon has many investment-enabling strengths:**

## Market Entry Strategy 

**Find a local partner  **
**Cover the Middle East region from Lebanon**

**Microsoft**

**CA**

**Cisco**

**Tellabs**

## U.S. Commercial Presence in Lebanon

**U.S. is Lebanon’s largest source of imports.**
**U.S. exports doubled in 2006 to reach $1 billion.**
**Major U.S. exports include mineral fuel and oil (47%), automotive (17%), tobacco (5%) and household appliances (5%) **
**Over 60 U.S. companies have offices in Lebanon.**
**Over 300 U.S. companies are represented through agents in Lebanon.**

## Business Incentives to U.S. Companies

**U.S. products have excellent reputation **
**U.S. products are very competitive due to the low value of USD vs Euro**
**English is widely spoken in business and government **
**The Lebanese market is 76% dollarized**
**Over 15,000 Americans live in Lebanon**
**- Over 2,000,000 Lebanese live in the U.S.**
**- Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA)**

## Opportunities for U.S. Companies

**Five-Year Investment Plan**

**Water**
**Supply**

**Telecommunications**

**Transportation**

**Education**

**Power**

**Waste **
**Water**

**Solid **
**Waste**

**Health**

** ****Over $ 2 billion will be spent on these projects. **
**   ****For more information, check **_[www.cdr.gov.lb](http://www.cdr.gov.lb/)__ _

## Privatization

**Transportation **
**Sector**

**Power **
**Sector**

**Cellular Network**

- Lease the assets of the two publicly-owned cellular companies in 2007** **

- Hire consultants to prepare a plan for the privatization of the power sector. $5 million World Bank** **grant.

- Preparations and studies are underway to privatize public transport, railways, airports and ports.

## U.S. MENA ICT Forum 2008

**Introduce major MENA ICT players to the latest U.S. technology**
**Feature speakers from major U.S. firms including Microsoft, Cisco, CA and Intel.**
**Present speakers from the MENA public sector to highlight ICT opportunities in the countries.**
**For more information:**
**US_MENA_ICT_FORUM@state.gov**

## Partnership for Lebanon

**Initiative from President George Bush.**
**Partnerships leaders include Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, Craig Barrett, CEO of Intel, **
**     ****John Chambers, CEO of Cisco, Youssef Ghafari, chairman of Ghafari Inc., and Dr. Ray Irani, president and CEO of Occidental Petroleum.**
**The Partnership’s objectives are to assist Lebanon’s reconstruction efforts in the wake of the July 2006 war and to help build a better future for the Lebanese people.**

## Contact Information

**Naaman Tayyar**
**Senior Commercial Specialist**
**P.O.Box: 70-840**
**U.S. Embassy, Beirut – Lebanon**
**Tel: 961-4-544860**
**Fax: 961-4-541788**
**Email: **_[Naaman.Tayyar@mail.doc.gov](mailto:Naaman.Tayyar@mail.doc.gov)__; _
**           **_[TayyarNA@state.gov](mailto:TayyarNA@state.gov)__ _
**URL: **_[http://www.buyusa.gov/lebanon/en](http://www.buyusa.gov/lebanon/en)__ _

## END