ELZUBI to Beirut’s An‑Nahar: No Mutual Recognition Before Equivalence – The Levant’s Path to the Gulf Table

No Mutual Recognition Before Equivalence – The Levant’s Road to the Gulf Table
Calls for “mutual recognition” between Levantine and Gulf food systems are premature. The Gulf market does not need declarations; it needs proof. The realistic path is for the most prepared Levantine states to seek Gulf recognition of equivalence in specific commodities, product by product, rather than wait for a consensus that will never come.
The Gulf imports most of its food and re exports part of it under strict standards. Trust collapses quickly—as seen in 2021 when Saudi Arabia halted Lebanese produce after narcotics were found in pomegranates. The issue was not quality but the failure of inspection and traceability. Recognition of equivalence, if well designed, serves Gulf interests: lowering border costs, diversifying nearby supply, and retaining audit rights.
Jordan’s institutions are assessable; Lebanon’s are eroded; Syria is rebuilding; Palestinian exports remain hostage to crossings. Only Jordan is a WTO member, meaning Gulf states are not legally bound to recognize equivalence with the others. Yet a pilot framework—anchored in Codex guidelines, accredited labs, digital registries, harmonized pesticide limits, and secure certificates of origin—could create a model. Success by one state sets the benchmark for others.
The first step requires no summit: a formal request from agriculture and food authorities to Saudi Arabia’s Food and Drug Authority for joint evaluation of fresh produce systems. Trust is not won by ministerial statements; it is built by systems that withstand scrutiny.