The "Fair Trade" organization announced in a statement that "Deputy Chief of Mission Richard Michaels celebrated the successful implementation of the 'Business Innovation and Export Enhancement in Lebanon (BIEEL)' project at a closing ceremony attended by the head of the organization in Lebanon, Sami Abdul Malek, the General Director of the Ministry of Agriculture, Louis Lahoud, representatives from the Association of Industrialists and Chambers of Commerce, as well as the team from the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), represented by MEPI Coordinator David Lewis, Program Director Maya Berhouche, and local small and medium enterprises." The statement highlighted that the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative helped, through the $2.5 million BIEEL project implemented by the "Fair Trade" organization in Lebanon, one hundred small and medium-sized Lebanese companies and cooperatives to produce and promote Fair Trade certified products and provide access to international export markets.
For his part, Deputy Chief of Mission Michaels praised the successful outcomes of the BIEEL project and emphasized the increase in Lebanese agricultural food exports by $218 million in 2021 and $75 million in 2022. He stated, “This project is just one in a long series of efforts to strengthen the ties between our two countries, and we aim to help the Lebanese navigate the current economic crisis towards a brighter future. The United States remains committed, through over $3.8 billion in support since 2018, to assisting the Lebanese people by enhancing the security, stability, and sovereignty of Lebanon.” The statement confirmed that this project serves as a tangible testament to the United States' ongoing commitment to fostering a favorable environment for the growth of small and medium enterprises, including improving access to business financing, export activity effectiveness, corporate governance, and enhancing access to international financing and markets.
