Beirut, October 30, 2025 – Today, at the Lebanese Industry Expo, fifty-one Lebanese women-led businesses were awarded new grants and will benefit from tailored support in the coming months to expand their businesses locally and internationally and generate jobs through the Women’s Economic Empowerment Project, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and funded by the Government of Canada.
The awarding ceremony, held at the Lebanese Industry Expo’s Seaside Arena in Beirut, took place in the presence of the Minister of Industry Joe Issa El Khoury, Canadian Ambassador Gregory Galligan, UNIDO Regional Representative, Emmanuel Kalenzi, and UNDP Resident Representative in Lebanon Blerta Aliko. The event gathered nearly 200 participants, including representatives of women-led businesses, government institutions, diplomatic missions, chambers of commerce, and women’s associations.
Minister of Industry Joe Issa El Khoury reflected on the resilience of Lebanese entrepreneurs, saying: “The strength of Lebanon has always been its people, those who work, produce, and believe that every factory light that stays on is a light for the whole nation.” He added: “True entrepreneurship shines in adversity because every challenge in Lebanon is also a chance to innovate, stand out, and build trust through quality and persistence. Resilience, creativity, and solidarity are your greatest competitive advantages, and your success, however small today, is part of Lebanon’s collective industrial rebirth.”
As part of the project, UNDP and UNIDO supported 45 women-led enterprises in its first phase earlier this year, allocating USD 706,000 in March 2025 as emergency assistance to help them sustain production, improve quality, enhance market access, and safeguard livelihoods after recent hostilities.
With today’s announcement, the total USD 1.106 million in grants has now been disbursed to 96 SMEs, complemented by UNIDO’s technical support to strengthen operations and expand market opportunities. The ultimate objective of the project is to support more than 1,000 women-led businesses in accessing the needed services to grow and expand.
In his remarks, Ambassador of Canada to Lebanon, Gregory Galligan, said: “Canada is proud to partner with UNDP, UNIDO, and the Government of Lebanon to empower women entrepreneurs who are transforming their ideas into impact. Through the Women’s Economic Empowerment Project, we are investing in Lebanon’s recovery and future. These 51 women-led enterprises reflect the creativity and determination needed to drive Lebanon’s economic renewal.”
Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) represent 90% of Lebanon’s economy and remain the backbone of local livelihoods. Yet women-led businesses have been among the hardest hit by the country’s overlapping crises, with the 2024 war forcing many to suspend operations and, in the hardest-hit areas, close entirely.
In his opening remarks, Emmanuel Kalenzi, UNIDO Regional Representative, said: “Today’s ceremony is more than a grant award; it is a recognition of resilience, creativity, and leadership of Lebanese women entrepreneurs. It is a celebration of what happens when determination meets opportunity and when women are empowered to innovate, manufacture, and lead businesses.”
In her turn, UNDP Resident Representative in Lebanon, Blerta Aliko, said, ” Empowering women in business not only strengthens economic recovery but also paves the way for a more equitable and sustainable future for Lebanon. This is the role UNDP is proud to play: supporting Lebanon’s small and medium businesses, the backbone of the economy, and ensuring women are at the heart of recovery.”
The new group of beneficiaries spans Beirut, Mount Lebanon, the Bekaa, North and South Lebanon. Their businesses, active across the agro-food, cosmetics, and creative industries, are expected to create new jobs, sustain family incomes and livelihoods, and unlock new market opportunities.
The event was followed by the inauguration of the “WEE Booth” at Lebanese Industry, featuring products from the 51 women-led businesses showcasing a wide range of agro-food, cosmetics, and creative products.