As part of its commitment to the sustainable upgrading and development of healthcare systems, French Healthcare Association assisted two missions to Lebanon and Syria, led by its partner Medef International during the week of 28 September.

The aim of these missions was to promote the French healthcare ecosystem – renowned for its innovation, hospital expertise and ability to build lasting partnerships – with a view to strengthening healthcare systems. The French Healthcare Association therefore visited Lebanon and Syria, remaining faithful to its mandate to support and promote French medical excellence internationally.

Elisabeth Arnaud, Director of Communications and Strategic Projects, accompanied the health delegation to Beirut, representing the French health sector, to support the health programme specially tailored for members in response to the specific challenges facing the local health sector and as part of efforts to consolidate and modernise the Lebanese health system.

Lebanon: Healthcare partnerships built on historic bilateral relations

The mission helped to consolidate historical relations and launch new cooperation initiatives to support the future development of the Lebanese healthcare system.

Supported by the French Embassy and the economic diplomacy network, the French delegation benefited from high-level institutional meetings with President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Minister of Economy Amer Bisat and Central Bank Governor Karim Souhaid. These strategic discussions laid the foundations for a strengthened partnership to prepare for the future of healthcare and promote the modernisation of infrastructure and services.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam held a meeting with French economic institutions and companies that are members of the French Healthcare Association, which specialises in innovative healthcare solutions. Mr Gérard Wolf, Sustainable City Coordinator for the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs and chair of the eponymous task force at Medef International, chaired the meeting in the presence of the Minister for the Economy and the French Ambassador to Beirut, Mr Hervé Magro.

« We will be present here with the best modern and innovative technologies. We intend to participate in the modernisation of the country and the consolidation of its foundations by providing assistance in the areas of transport, energy, health and all vital sectors. »

Gérard Wolf



Among the participating companies were firms selected by the French Healthcare Association for their medical expertise:

Strategic meetings with local stakeholders to prepare concrete opportunities

On 30 September, the French Healthcare Association and its partners organised several meetings aimed at identifying priority needs and opportunities for cooperation with hospital syndicates and importers/distributors, with a view to improving access to healthcare and strengthening hospital capacities. These meetings helped to strengthen dialogue between local healthcare stakeholders and the French ecosystem, including:

  • At the Hôtel-Dieu de France University Hospital, the largest hospital in the country, the delegation discussed ongoing development projects with Director Nassib Nasr and his teams. Partnerships were agreed upon to continue direct networking (pitches, French Healthcare Business Forum, etc.) between the French ecosystem – particularly start-ups – and hospital buyers. The goal: to promote smooth and efficient patient care pathways.
  • A meeting with Dr Nadine Hilal, advisor to the Minister of Health, provided a better understanding of the structural challenges facing the Lebanese healthcare system and enabled further identification of opportunities for French companies in upcoming tenders and in the production of generic medicines.
  • The president of the Lebanese Syndicate of Hospitals, Pierre Yared, and the president of the Order of Physicians, Elias Chelala, expressed their interest in being involved in the preparation of an upcoming health mission to Lebanon. Together with the Lebanese Society of Nephrology, all medical stakeholders confirmed their desire to build lasting partnerships based on French medical expertise.

Healthcare highlighted by the first Western delegation to Syria

In Syria, high-level discussions took place during a second mission, following President Macron’s official reception of President Al Charaa. This is the first Western delegation to visit the country since the regime change to discuss its reconstruction, including its healthcare system.

This exploratory mission, coordinated by Medef International with the Syrian Investment Authority, and supported in the health sector by the French Healthcare Association, enabled preliminary contacts to be established with the Syrian authorities, laying the foundations for long-term collaboration in support of the resilience of the healthcare system.

Initial structural discussions with the President and the Minister of Health

The association, represented on site by Emile Jockey, General Delegate, and its members, including Novakamp, Ellipse Projects and Med in Touch (specialists in medical assistance and care in exceptional circumstances), reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the reconstruction of the Syrian healthcare system and facilitating the import of innovative French solutions.

In this context, a day dedicated to strategic discussions on health was added to the programme on Wednesday 1 October in Damascus. The French delegation met with the Syrian Minister of Health, Mr Mosaab Nazzal al-Ali, as well as other prestigious figures, including Syrian President Mr Ahmed Al Charaa. The latter confirmed the importance of health as a strategic priority for the country. Discussions focused on several key areas: digital health, strengthening hospital infrastructure and facilitating access to medicines and medical devices.

In the coming months, in-depth technical work will be carried out with French companies and Syrian representatives participating in the French Healthcare Business Forum, including the Minister of Health, in order to establish lasting partnerships and operational projects on the ground.

These two missions illustrate the commitment of France and its economic partners to supporting countries in developing their healthcare systems, directly benefiting patients, while promoting the excellence and responsiveness of the French healthcare ecosystem to global challenges. Finally, they highlight the excellent collaboration between the French Healthcare Association and Medef International, maximising the impact of French action and the visibility of the ecosystem in the region.