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Work progress in 2017 at SEZ in Tripoli

5-1-2018

The Special Economic Zone in Tripoli completed an overview of its main achievements and studies during 2017 in preparation for the launch of work at SEZ. The report noted the following accomplishments: Finalizing the ‘gap analysis between the skills needed for Tripoli Special Economic Zone and the vocational trainings and university courses in Tripoli’ survey in December 2017 through a donation from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP); completing a research study in collaboration with UNDP on potential employment opportunities by SEZ, and conducting a skills gap analysis to assess the ability of available workforce in Tripoli and the North to meet investors’ needs. The report also mentioned that the International Labor Organization (ILO) will ensure a safe and appropriate working environment for future employees and workers at the Special Economic Zone, and shall, to this end, carry out an evaluation and review of SEZ current regulations, in addition to developing a social safety net for its staff. The report further noted that in December, 2017, the council of ministers allocated USD 15 million to finance part of SEZ infrastructure work, adding that SEZ administration is currently negotiating with the World Bank to provide the remaining USD 40 million needed to complete the work. (For the full report, kindly visit the following link: : http://bit.ly/2qs45Ue). Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, January 5, 2018

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Lebanon ranks 98 globally in business

5-1-2018

The communications minister, Jamal Jarrah, disclosed that work in the upcoming period shall focus on supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to inspire them to stay in Lebanon through the provision of business development opportunities up to where they can start selling their technologies instead of importing them. Jarrah, who was speaking during a ceremony held on December 29, 2017 attended by the President of the Lebanese University (LU), Prof Fouad Ayoub, praised LU student team for winning the first prize at Huawei’s International ICT Skill Competition finals in China. Jarrah said his ministry, has in the first phase, offered college students a discounted internet package, to be followed in the next phase by a plan to secure training prospects for students at international companies. Meanwhile, Lebanon came in the 98th place out of 153 countries in the Best Countries for Business 2018 by Forbes. The US business magazine ranked Lebanon 10th among 14 Arab states. Forbes rating, to recall, is based on 5 basic criteria: property rights, innovation, taxes, corruption and investor protection. According to the report, Lebanon’s growth in 2017 posted 1%, the GDP per capita stood at USD 7900 for a population of 6.2 million persons and a trade deficit recorded 18.6%. (For the full rating, kindly refer to: http://bit.ly/2lWkBGt). (Al Mustaqbal, December 30, L’Orient Le Jour, January 4, 2018)

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Nearly 135,000 young Lebanese yearly emigrate to the West

5-1-2018

Al Diyar newspaper today shed light today on the shocking rate of brain drain among the Lebanese youth every year. Around 10,720 visas to the US and other Western countries were issued for young Lebanese men and women during December 2017 only, the newspaper reported, bringing the annual count of Lebanon’s university graduates, specialists and jobless migrating from the country to some 135,000 persons. The main destined countries are the USA, Canada, France, Sweden and Norway. Al Diyar cited a survey by the US and European embassies in Lebanon anticipating the issuance of about 220 thousand travel and immigration visas to the above countries. The report noted that the Canadian government alone has approved a total of 600,000 visas to Lebanese applicants should they decide to emigrate to the North American country irrespective of their age or religious sect. (Al Diyar, January 5, 2018)

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Seminar in Denniyyeh on women and peace building

4-1-2018

In cooperation with the Federation of Municipalities of Denniyyeh, the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW) organized yesterday a seminar entitled, ‘women participation and peace building in Lebanon’ at the Denniyyeh Complex for Care and Development. The activity comes as part of ‘promoting women’s participation in local development’ project funded by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). The headmistress of the co-ed Seer Denniyyeh Public High school, Raw’aa Fatfat, underlined the important role of women in the advancement of society and the need to activate and promote their participation in municipal work and in political life based on their competence rather than on their political legacy. Likewise, the chief of the Federation of Denniyyeh Municipalities, Mohamad Saadiyeh, cited studies that determined the rate of corruption in the world, maintaining that nearly 87% of corruption is an act by men. “It is not about inadequate rights, but it is more about an ignorant and hypocrite male chauvinist sexist society which lacks the boldness to speak the truth. We have to be supportive of women,” Saadiyeh stated. For her part, the project director, Bernadette Daou, praised Saadiyeh’s backing for women, particularly that he facilitated this activity which is one in a series of seminars to be held in the various Lebanese regions. (Al Mustaqbal, January 4, 2018

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Women on Boards, a model program for empowering women

4-1-2018

In partnership with the Lebanese League for Businesswomen, the International Finance Corporation IFC, launched yesterday and for the first time in Lebanon and the MENA region, a pilot program for women on boards of directors entitled, ‘Women On Boards – WOB’. The initiative comes as part of the efforts to promote equal opportunities between men and women, as well as, empower women through building their capacities. The new program focuses on capacity building, training and rehabilitation of women in preparation for assuming leadership positions, including corporate board membership, and becoming active partners in decision making and in the entrepreneurship and business sectors. To note, the criteria adopted to select participants in the program was based on the advanced educational level of the applicant, her leadership in entrepreneurship and her contribution to the local community. The program, to recall, was inaugurated with a series of workshops held at Le Grey Hotel, Beirut, with the participation of international experts, trainers and specialists in women empowerment and entrepreneurship. The activity which targeted 20 women in senior executive posts focused on the different brain functions between men and women and gender stereotypes, and on how women on boards are distinguished, as well as on the importance of overcoming barriers to women’s access to leadership roles. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Hayat, Al Diyar, January 4, 2018)

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2018 wishes: Industry focuses on protection support export innovation and industrial zones

4-1-2018

The minister of industry, Dr. Hussein Haj Hassan, sounded the alarm yesterday on the dire conditions in the country as a result of the official lethargy and procrastination in terms of developing a comprehensive socio-economic policy. Haj Hassan was speaking in a meeting with a delegation of the Press Syndicate led by Elias Aoun to discuss current conditions in the country. The minister reminded his guests that at the start of 2017, he had requested the formation of an economic committee headed by premier Saad Hariri to develop an economic vision. The committee was formed but did not convene, only occasionally, and when it did, discussions were not in-depth and did not yield any relevant decisions, Haj Hassan said. The productive sectors, namely industry and agriculture, are sidelined and put off, notwithstanding the current perceptions to address the situation, as well as proposals submitted jointly with involved ministries, the minister said, calling for transforming perceptions into executable governmental decrees. Haj Hassan cautioned against high unemployment rates among the youth which have reached 35%, noting that, if in the past there has been a plan to export talents, things have changed today. Europe is currently opening for workers from East European countries, while the while the Arab Gulf countries face their own problems and and Asian workforce is invading global labor markets, he maintained. In Lebanon, around some 45 thousand young persons are on the lookout for jobs every year, the minister warned, while imports amount to USD 19 billion against only USD 3 billion in exports. This, he concluded, indicates an absence of a clear government policy to protect and promote Lebanese productive sectors while ensuring the recruitment of the young generation. He pledged to continue to work on the five key files: protection, support, exports, innovation and industrial zones. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, L’Orient Le Jour, January 4, 2018)

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Future Women and healthy dieting in Akkar

4-1-2018

In collaboration with Beit el Haj Municipality, the Future Movement Women’s Sector in Akkar (Nar el Istwan department), organized a health talk at the town hall entitled ‘healthy food; healthy body’. On the occasion, the women’s issues officer, Souad Hamoud, stressed the importance of health awareness in society, while nutritionist, Riham Haj, gave a presentation on the steps towards a healthy diet, along with the necessary instructions relative to various cases. A panel discussion followed on how to stay healthy during a diet. (Al Mustaqbal, January 4, 2018)

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2017, yet another bad year for agriculture in Lebanon

3-1-2018

Al Diyar daily recapped the agricultural year of 2017 in Lebanon describing it as a year of ‘bad luck’ for farmers, producers and traders. The ordinary farmer, the newspaper wrote, is suffering the biggest downturns in the history of a repeatedly forsaken sector that has been steadily floundering. The newspaper pointed to foreign agreements and contracts that have been signed to regulate the industry, but which, in fact, have been observed unilaterally, mostly on the part of Lebanon, due to the closure of borders between Syria and neighboring countries as well as political turmoil, the newspaper analyzed. On the subject, Al Diyar met the head of the Beqaa Farmers Association, Ibrahim Tarshishi, who said that the past year has been bad for agriculture in general and for potato, banana, citrus and grape growers in particular. He stressed the need to conduct studies and reviews in keeping with the new policies taken by some Arab states which facilitated the import of various products from Europe, China, Turkey, Pakistan, USA and Iran exempt from customs, while preference was granted in the past to the products of Arab countries. The Lebanese potato production, Tarshishi noted, has affected in the Jordanian market last year, where farmers have been counting on the neighboring Kingdom to dispose and market their produce as pledged by their government. He recalled the ill-fate of the Lebanese trucks stranded for nearly 30 days at the Port of Aqaba and denied entry to the Jordanian markets. Tarshishi also criticized Syria's lack of commitment to the signed bilateral trade agreement. He demanded the Lebanese government to subsidize every ton of imported potato seeds with USD 100 to USD 150 and to delay, until end of February, the entry of Egyptian potato to the Lebanese markets, particularly that over 30,000 tons of the local produce will be still stored in the warehouses. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, January 2, 3, 2018)

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Lebanese Fakhri, most renowned jeweler of Hong Kong

3-1-2018

L’Orient Le Jour spotlighted today one of the most prominent jewelry brands in Hong Kong by Lebanese Yumna Fakhri Hostelet. The ‘Gold Girl’, the newspaper wrote, has emigrated with family to France with the outbreak of the civil war in Lebanon in1975, where she specialized in gemstone jewelry in Lyon. Later on, she moved to Los Angeles, California to follow up her studies at the most prestigious jewelry institutes in the US. Fakhri began her career in New York City before relocating to Lyon, France where she opened her own store, L’Orient Le Jour said. But as most of her colleagues at the American Institute were from Hong Kong, Fakhri started to travel between Lyon and Asia’s world city of Hong Kong. She married a French national living in Hong Kong and settled there. In 1991, she started her own retail shop and successfully developed a list of customers from around the globe. (L’Orient Le Jour, January 3, 2018)

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Tale of two young women with hijab

2-1-2018

In its issue of December 30, 2017, L’Orient Le Jour portrayed the stories of two young women students who wear the hijab. Farah, 28 years, works in the medical field, said that her conservative parents have forced her to wear the veil when she was 19. Then, she felt sad and unhappy because she did not want to, even though she was a strong believer, as she mentioned. Farah described to L’Orient Le Jour’s reporter the challenges she faced in her lookout for employment in the capital, Beirut or in the North being a ‘muhajaba’. And when she took a job in clinical audit, she simply took off her headscarf and felt more freedom. However, Farah went on to say, removing the hijab will not go unpunished. She had to withstand the remorseful looks of her family and neighbors, and this, she said, takes great courage, for it is a personal choice. On the other hand, Yumn, the 24-year-old chemistry student in USJ-Tripoli, explained that wearing the veil did not mean anything to her in the beginning, being a liberal young woman. But after she made her lifetime visit to Mecca to explore the haram, her life convictions changed and she decided to put on the hijab. She felt comfortable with herself, and her acquaintances and family, namely her unveiled mother, respected and approved her daughter’s decision, Yumn boasted. Yet, Yumn lamented one main drawback to wearing the hijab, which prevents her from practicing her favorite sport, swimming, revealing that most of the beaches in Tripoli do not allow the burkini swimwear for mahajabat. (L’Orient Le Jour, December 30, 2017)

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