The Minister of Agriculture, Nizar Hani, made a telephone call with the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Engineer Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Fadhli. During the call, ways to enhance agricultural cooperation between the two countries were discussed and the procedures related to reopening the Saudi market to Lebanese agricultural products were followed up. During the call, Hani expressed his “deep appreciation and gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its leadership and its people,” praising “the generous decision to reopen the Saudi market to Lebanese agricultural products.” Hani stressed that "this step constitutes a turning point in the path of economic and agricultural relations between the two countries." Minister Hani extended his "sincere thanks and appreciation to the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, for his continued support for Lebanon and his standing by its people, and for his efforts in strengthening fraternal relations and joint cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Lebanon." He stressed that “reopening the Saudi market to Lebanese agricultural exports provides an important opportunity to enhance farmers’ income and improve the conditions of rural families. It also opens broad horizons for developing agricultural trade exchange and enhancing economic and investment cooperation between Lebanon and the Kingdom.” In this context, he referred to the memorandum sent by the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture through the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Beirut, which included a proposal to enhance coordination and cooperation between the two sides. It was also agreed to hold a virtual meeting soon between the relevant officials in the agricultural sector in both the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture, to discuss areas of cooperation of common interest, determine strategic priorities, and develop a framework for the current and future stages, in a way that strengthens the agricultural partnership between the two countries and establishes sustainable cooperation projects and programs that serve common interests. Al-Fadhli For his part, Minister Al-Fadhli stressed “the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s keenness to strengthen and revitalize agricultural cooperation and trade exchange with Lebanon,” stressing “the importance of full compliance with technical and health standards and approved agricultural quarantine requirements, in a way that guarantees the quality and safety of agricultural products and maintains the confidence of markets and consumers.” The two ministers also agreed to “hold a meeting of the joint Lebanese-Saudi agricultural committee in the near future, to discuss various technical and procedural aspects related to agricultural exchange, complete coordination regarding agricultural quarantine requirements, and establish practical executive mechanisms that contribute to strengthening joint cooperation and developing the agricultural partnership between the two countries.” Minister Al-Fadhli stressed that “quality and quality represent a fundamental priority for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, especially with regard to food and agricultural products entering the Saudi market,” stressing that “adherence to the approved specifications and standards constitutes the basic foundation for ensuring the sustainability and development of trade exchange in a way that achieves the common interests of the two countries and the two brotherly peoples.” This contact comes “within the framework of the joint keenness to strengthen bilateral relations and expand areas of agricultural and economic cooperation, in a way that contributes to supporting sustainable agricultural development, developing investment and trade opportunities, and consolidating the strategic partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Lebanon.”