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Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi hosted Joseph Saddi for the discussions, which focused on existing energy ties and potential steps to develop them further, the Qatar News Agency reported. Al-Kaabi also holds the role of president and chief executive of QatarEnergy, positioning him to address both policy and operational aspects of any future initiatives. The encounter occurred amid Lebanon’s ongoing efforts to rebuild its energy infrastructure following years of economic strain.
The Peninsula Qatar reported that the two officials explored multiple avenues to strengthen their countries’ energy relations during the Wednesday meeting. This dialogue builds directly on prior collaboration, including QatarEnergy’s entry into Lebanese offshore exploration activities. Such engagements reflect a sustained pattern of Gulf support for Lebanon’s resource development.
QatarEnergy secured a 30 percent stake in offshore Block 8 earlier in 2026 through an agreement with the Lebanese government, TotalEnergies and Eni, according to an Al Jazeera report. The block lies approximately 70 kilometres from the Lebanese coast in water depths between 1,700 and 2,100 metres, with initial plans calling for three-dimensional seismic surveys covering about 1,200 square kilometres. Al-Kaabi previously noted that the participation underscores Qatar’s commitment to Lebanon’s upstream oil and gas sector and its broader economic recovery.[[1]](https://www.aljazeera.net/ebusiness/2026/1/9/%d9%82%d8%b7%d8%b1-%d9%84%d9%84%d8%b7%d8%a7%d9%82%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d8%b3%d8%aa%d8%ad%d9%88%d8%b0-%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%89-%d8%ad%d8%b5%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d8%b3%d8%aa%d9%83%d8%b4%d8%a7%d9%81-%d8%a8%d8%ad%d8%b1%d9%8a)
Qatar separately committed roughly 400 million dollars to Lebanon’s electricity sector in January 2026, including a 40 million dollar grant, AP News reported. The funding package aims to improve infrastructure and provide direct benefits to around 1.5 million residents in a country where the state power utility has accumulated tens of billions of dollars in losses over past decades. This support forms part of wider Qatari assistance that also encompasses the Lebanese armed forces and programmes to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-qatar-electricity-syrian-refugees-army-hezbollah-6ecd22f05f1060ac1ad4c5b9ad1073cc)
Lebanon’s energy challenges stem from outdated facilities, corruption legacies and chronic fuel shortages that have hampered reliable supply for years. The latest ministerial meeting offers a platform to align on practical measures that could accelerate project implementation in both power generation and hydrocarbon exploration. Continued coordination between the two sides is expected to translate discussions into tangible outcomes over coming months.
United Nations COMTRADE data places Qatar’s total exports to Lebanon at 35.11 million dollars in 2024, encompassing iron and steel, aluminum and other materials that support broader economic activity. While energy-specific trade remains limited at present, enhanced cooperation in the sector could open pathways for increased LNG or technical exchanges in future. The investment dimension of these talks aligns with Qatar’s established role as a partner in Lebanon’s offshore blocks.[[3]](https://tradingeconomics.com/qatar/exports/lebanon)
