Beirut, 16 March 2018 – Within the framework of promoting Lebanese investments in Senegal, the MEREF (Movement of French Enterprises and Economic Representations in Lebanon), in cooperation with Front Page Communication, organized a round table on Friday, March 16, at ESA Business School on the theme “The opportunities of the Senegalese market from Lebanon “. The session opened with a statement by H.E. Mr. Abdou Lahad Mbacke, Ambassador of Senegal to Lebanon, in which he conveyed the greetings of H.E. Mr. Macky Sall, President of Senegal, to the speakers and his wishes to see further strengthening of relations between Beirut and Dakar. An introductory video was then shown, followed by a presentation of the Senegalese economic context and the strategic issues between Lebanon and Senegal.
The macroeconomic analysis of Senegal reveals an economy that is currently undergoing a structural transformation, in which vital sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, industry, handicrafts, infrastructure, tourism, energy, health as well as defense and security are being modernized and are benefiting from development support; this mobilization is carried out within the framework of the government’s Plan for an Emerging Senegal (PES), a strategy aimed at promoting economic growth with a high impact on human development, and at accelerating Senegal’s progress towards emergence with a public-private partnership .
A diplomatic overview between the two countries then recounted the beginnings of the links between Senegal and Lebanon since the arrival of the first Lebanese immigrants in Senegal in 1897. Traders by nature, the Lebanese have since played a significant role in the economic and industrial life of Senegal. Today, they constitute an important community of over 25,000 Lebanese people there. In this promising economic context, the discussion then tackled cooperation and investment opportunities, before experiences were shared, particularly in the areas of health, IT, import-export and mass distribution.
The following speakers took part in the round table: Mr. Stephane Attali, Chairman of Meref CCI, Mr. Mustapha Assad, Chief Executive Officer of Front Page Communication, Strategic Communications Agency, H.E. Mr. Naji Abi Assi, former Ambassador of Lebanon to Senegal, France and Vatican, and former Director General of the presidency of the Lebanese Republic, Ms. Johanna Houdrouge-Karrit Head of Legal Affairs at Mercure International of Monaco, Dr. Mohammad Saab, Doctor in Cardiac Surgery, Mr. Sami Salman, Chief Operating Officer at Transmed, distributors of consumer products, and Mr. Mohsen Chirara, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Arc Informatique, Internet access provider and Solutions integrator in Senegal.
The conference, broadcasted live and accessible on Facebook: @frontpagelb for internet users, will soon be followed by a business trip to Senegal for Lebanese investors, with the aim of materializing potential partnerships between the two countries.