Overview
According to Lebanese Customs, Lebanon’s imports of medical equipment reached$187 million in 2021, of which $29 million, or 15.5 percent, was of U.S. origin. Total medical equipment imports to Lebanon decreased by 6.5 percent in 2021 compared to 2020.
Difficult access to hard currency as a result of Lebanon’s economic collapse has led to a decrease in medical imports to Lebanon. Experts predict trade to maintain the same figures in 2022 and 2023. .
Table 3: Medical Equipment Chart
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 (Estimate) | 2023 (Projection) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Local Production | $1 million | $1 million | $1 million | $1 million |
| Total Exports | $21 million | $12 million | $12million | $12million |
| Total Imports | $200 million | $187 million | $185 million | $185 million |
| Imports from the US | $54 million | $29 million | $25 million | $25 million |
| Total Market Size | $180 million | $176 million | $174 million | $174 million |
| Exchange Rates | LBP1507.5 | LBP1507.5 | LBP1507.5 | LBP1507.5 |
(Total market size = (total local production + imports) - exports)
Units: $ U.S. Dollars, LBP Lebanese Pounds
Source: Lebanese Customs statistics – Section 18
Leading Sub-Sectors
According to local experts, U.S. medical equipment products are characterized by their high quality and competitive value.
Opportunities
Lebanon is an ideal location to establish a regional office to cover the Levant, including Iraq, although controls on the flow of capital will make this difficult. The Lebanese market has traditionally been used as a platform for testing U.S. products prior to introducing them to the rest of the Levant market.
The U.S. Commercial Service provides a wide range of services including, Gold Key Service (GKS) and International Partner Search (IPS), which help U.S. companies explore opportunities in Lebanon.
Resources
Lebanese Customs Administration (http://www.customs.gov.lb/home.aspx)
Contact for the Commercial Section that covers the medical equipment sector: Naaman Tayyar, Head of Commercial Section, Email: Naaman.Tayyar@trade.gov.]