Lebanon's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Gebran Brassil's grandfather in 1912 built one of the oldest buildings remaining in the Auckland CBD today. Photo / Supplied
Lebanon's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Gebran Brassil's grandfather in 1912 built one of the oldest buildings remaining in the Auckland CBD today. Photo / Supplied
Lebanon's Foreign Minister, Gebran Brassil, is making his first visit to New Zealand but he has very old connections here already.
His grandfather arrived in New Zealand in 1887 and set up a business as an importer of olive oil, although returned to Lebanon later in life.
In 1912 hebuilt one of the oldest buildings remaining in the Auckland CBD, on the eastern corner of Victoria and Albert St, and which he sold in 1954.
Today it is backpacker accommodation.
Brassil visited his grandfather's building today before meeting the Middle East Business Council and he is having dinner tonight with Foreign Minister Murray McCully.
Brassil's full title is Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants and part of his role is to make contact with his country's 14 million diasporan community around the world and, through them, improve relations and promote trade with their new countries.
Lebanese first started arriving in New Zealand 150 years ago and today there are about 40,000 to 45,000 people of Lebanese descent in New Zealand.
That was not reflected in trade with New Zealand, he told the Herald tonight.
"We are a country of emigration and you are a country of immigration," he said.
The relationship was friendly but it could be enhanced by exchanges in culture, trade and politics.
He invited the Middle East Business Council to Lebanon next month and said with a strong presence of Lebanese through the Middle East, it could be a good gateway to other markets in the region
"Despite all that is happening around us, Lebanon can be a real hub for the reconstruction of Syria," he said.
The building Gebran Brassil's grandfather built in 1912, on the eastern corner of Victoria and Albert streets.
There was a good business environment to invest in Lebanon itself and in the region.
In 2013 New Zealand exports to Lebanon were worth $22 million but that fell to $9 million in 2016. And Lebanon's annual exports to New Zealand rarely make it over $1 million.
McCully said Lebanon was an important partner for New Zealand in the Middle East. While on the United Nations Security Council in 2015 - 16, New Zealand had engaged closely with Lebanon on regional issues, including the war in Syria.
Lebanon currently hosted over a million Syrian refugees and in 2015-16 New Zealand gave $2.6 million to four Syrian refugee projects in Lebanon.
Brassil is on a tour of six cities in Australia and two in New Zealand. He was in Wellington yesterday.
Part of his programme includes hosting receptions for Lebanese Kiwis in Auckland and Wellington.
