Bilateral relations

Lebanon, by its geographic location, has been a trading and finance center for centuries. In the last 40 years, following the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Lebanon and Hungary have established strong commercial relations. The Civil war, which started in Lebanon in 1975, had somehow slowed the relations. In that period, more than 100 young Lebanese students have studied in Hungary, in various medical universities. Most of them are now living in Lebanon, and they are participating in the development and expansion of the bilateral relations. They have two organizations, the Committee of the Graduates from Hungarian Universities, and the Hungarian-Lebanese Friendship Association.

After the end of the civil war, the bilateral relations developed, mostly in the commercial field. It was followed by the expansion of the cultural relations, including ministerial-level visits, and the organization of Hungarian Days in Lebanon. On the educational level, there are currently a few Lebanese students at Hungarian universities. The Hungarian-Lebanese relations were boosted by the official visit of the President of the Republic to Lebanon in 2004. The normalization and reforms of the Lebanese political situation will hopefully positively develop the bilateral relations.