Elon Musk Expresses Interest in Lebanon Telecom, Receives Presidential Invitation

Elon Musk expressed interest in Lebanon's telecommunications and internet sectors during a phone call with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who invited Musk to visit Beirut and welcomed the prospect of Musk's companies establishing a presence in the country. This follows recent talks in Beirut between Lebanese officials, including President Aoun, and Starlink’s Global Director of Licensing and Development, Sam Turner, focusing on providing satellite internet services in Lebanon. The discussions also involved U.S. Ambassador Lisa Johnson and aimed to address Lebanon's low internet speeds by leveraging Starlink’s satellite internet technology. However, the negotiations have faced opposition from state-owned internet providers and their affiliates, who currently dominate Lebanon’s internet market and are lobbying against granting operational licenses to Starlink. Starlink has recently expanded its licensing to countries such as India and Lesotho. Lebanon's telecommunications sector remains unstable and expensive, prompting urgent calls for upgrades amid the country's broader financial and infrastructural challenges following last year’s conflict with Israel and Hezbollah.