Economic Relationship between Italy and Lebanon in the Fifties

Italy and Lebanon signed the first friendship agreement between an Arab and a Western country after the Second World War. Both countries profited from this agreement: Italy could use it as a model for future agreements with other Arab countries and Lebanon with other Western countries. The uniqueness of this agreement is the fair-trade which was unusual in international agreements signed between Western countries and Arab countries. As one of the defeated countries, it was very important for Italy to build a new relationship with the Mediterranean countries. Therefore the first step had to be a political agreement and then an economic and trade agreement. The United Kingdom and France did not want Italy to start a new relation with Lebanon, particularly France which was jealous of her ex-mandate. Nevertheless, Italy succeeded in setting a very good relationship with Lebanon along the Fifties.