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English

President Aoun: Lebanon must shift to real productive economy

11-7-2017

The President of the Republic, Michel Aoun, said Monday that production-based economy ensures stability and supports the national currency, stressing the need to move from a rentier state into a real state which derives its wealth from domestic production. Aoun added that Lebanon welcomes those willing to invest in it, warning it is unacceptable to continue to sway under debt and depend on global markets, international aid and the World Bank to survive. Aoun was speaking at Baabda Palace before a delegation participating in the Lebanese Forum for Small and Medium Enterprises expected to start today at BIEL, Beirut. The president revealed that Lebanon is currently cooperating with one of the world’s leading institutions to finalize a study on ways to revive the Lebanese economy. Anticipations for the near future are alarming, Aoun stated, especially if “we do not act in a systematic way across all sectors.” “We are working to reform the financial situation and to assist SMEs,” the president said, adding, “It is important to produce, but it is also vital to secure markets and that is primarily the responsibility of the State.”  
(Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, July 11, 2017)


Previous related news: 
Launch of SMEs Lebanese Forum
 

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Launch of project “Towards a more equitable law for women”

10-7-2017

In cooperation with the Advisory Board for Planning and Development, the minister of state for women’s affairs, Jean Ogassapian, kicked off last Friday from the Chamber of Commerce in Tripoli the ‘toward a more equitable law for women’ initiative. The 6-month project aims at identifying and highlighting the limitations and flaws in the Lebanese law that could stifle the ambitions and aspirations of Lebanese women. The said project embraces four stages: 1), defining the laws that require amendment and disseminating them among groups of volunteering lawyers and later among students, 2), indexing legal provisions, 3) conducting workshops in Tripoli sponsored by Ogassapian, 4) developing recommendations and publishing them in a book to be raised to the involved minister and then to the Cabinet for ratification and approval. In the legal process, Ogassapian elucidated, NCLW has compiled studies that are being currently reviewed by above project team to identify the shortcomings and needed changes in order to reach justice and equality. This, Ogassapian maintained, covers many laws in the Penal Code, the labor and social security laws, besides some new bills that criminalize sexual harassment and related actions, as well as what he described as the ‘troublesome’ personal status law hogged by religions, disclosing that he is meeting with heads of sectarian blocs to this end. (Al Mustaqbal, July 8, 2017)

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Felony Court defers Chez Maurice sex trafficking hearing

10-7-2017

The Criminal Court of Baabda adjourned yesterday until 10/11/2017 the proceedings in the case of Chez Maurice sex trafficking ring which lured more than 75 Syrian girls into forced prostitution. The reasons for the delay were purportedly to assign attorneys for some of the defendants. The three-month postponement however, is due to the start of the judicial vacation soon. On the subject, lawyer Mouhana Isaac, explained to Al Akhbar newspaper that the hearing sessions before the Criminal Court should be public whereby all 26 defendants and their legal representatives should be present. The absence of any defendant delays the hearings, Isaac said, noting that this raises the question of obstruction and procrastination of trial procedurers in view of the impracticality of thorough representation of contingents and defendants. According to Isaac, all suspects were present at yesterday’s session but the Felony Court was forced to postpone the hearing because some of the accused parties asked for an attorney. However, “we are concerned that the defendants could be deliberately and regularly absenting themselves to dally the trial,” Isaac pointed out. It should be noted, that a number of lawyers voiced their concern about this, demanding an acceleration of the trials and a more serious handling of such a grave case. (Al Akhbar, July 8, 2017(

Previous related news: 
Chez Maurice sex trafficker out on bail
Accusatory decision against ‘Chez Maurice’ human trafficking network in Junieh
75 Syrian girls freed from a Lebanese human trafficking mafia located in Jounieh
 

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Lebanese Najla Kassab head of WCRC

10-7-2017

The Word Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) elected its first female president, Reverend Najla Kassab for a 7-year-term. Kassab, WCRC executive committee member, is the first woman to head the WCRC since the establishment of the Communion in 1875. The meetings for the elections held every seven years, took place in the German city of Leipzig from June 29 to July 7 with the participation of representatives of more than 225 churches from 112 countries, including Lebanon. On the occasion, Alison McDonald, moderator of the nominating committee which presented the list of presidency candidates to the General Council, praised Kassab’s experience and many gifts, stating that her “vision, insight, spiritual strength and grace made her the right person to lead the church forward.” For her part, Kassab disclosed in her first statement after being elected that her election represents an opportunity for a woman pastor from the Middle East to push for equal rights and justice through boldly identifying injustices in the Middle East and the world. The incoming WCRC president also described her election as a “new beginning for justice in the Middle East being the first woman to assume this post in the region. To recall, Kassab is the director of the Christian Education Department of the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon (NESSL), and has been ordained in March 2017 in Beirut. (Al Mustaqbal, July 10, 2017)

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WB credit program for women entrepreneurs

10-7-2017

The World Bank (WB) launched on Saturday a public-private loan program to provide over USD 1 billion in support of women entrepreneurs in developing countries. The initiative was first initiated by US President’s daughter, Ivanka Trump. According to the World Bank, the initial funding (USD 325 million) came from donors, namely, Germany, the United States, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and would be complemented by hundreds of millions of dollars in additional private capital. The launch saw the presence of the six world leaders attending the G-20 summit in Hamburg in addition to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director, Christine Lagarde. The WB head Jim Yong Kim said on the occasion that the project will be a key catalyst for economic growth in the future on the one hand, and a driver for gender equality on the other. To be noted, the above program is expected to start dispensing loans before end of this year and will work with concerned governments to improve laws that hamper women entrepreneurs and to inspire banks to release funds for female-owned businesses. (Al Mustaqbal, July 9, 2017)

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Positive results for maritime export bridge!

7-7-2017

Despite an earlier gloomy report by the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL) on the disappointing outcomes of the first year of the sea bridge in support of Lebanese exports, (http://bit.ly/2k282L1), Al Mustaqbal newspaper published new data covering the period from 17/9/2015 to 31/3/2017 which showed that the program has achieved positive outcomes as compared to its set objectives. The program, according to the report, has ensured the flow of Lebanese production to traditional regional markets, notably, the Arab Gulf and Jordan, and has sustained the distinctive presence of made-in-Lebanon goods. To be noted, that since its launch, the above program has faced criticism from concerned parties, the last from the president of the Lebanese Industrialists Association (LIA), Ziad Bekdache, who decried the waning activity of land transported exports. Bekdache criticized the high cost of exporting via the maritime bridge which, he said, is far from competitive (c.f: http://bit.ly/2to0ypg). Back to the data cited in Al Mustaqbal, it indicated that during the first year and 7 months of the implementation of the program, overall exports reached 103853 tons between agricultural products (92557 tons) and industrial goods (2621 tons), while noting that Saudi Arabia, came first among the countries of destination as well as the size of products exported, (nearly 58101 tons, accounting for 55.94% of the total sea program exports.) The numbers showed vegetables and fruits made nearly 92.5% of the total Lebanese agricultural exports to the Gulf states and Jordan, whereas agro-food goods represented close to 8.6% and the industrial exports 5% of the overall size of exports, were only 2621 tons were exported during the latest stage of the sea bridge period. The number of exporters aligned with the program were 241 exporters. (Al Mustaqbal, July 5, 2017) For more information, please visit the following link: http://almustaqbal.com/v4/article.aspx?Type=NP&ArticleID=742734

 

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Second phase of export sea bridge kicked off
http://www.weeportal-lb.org/news/second-phase-export-sea-bridge-kicked
First year results of M.LEB below expectations
http://www.weeportal-lb.org/news/first-year-results-mleb-below-expectations
More welcoming of border closure and demands for further tightening measures
http://www.weeportal-lb.org/news/more-welcoming-border-closure-and-demands-further-tightening-measures
Can unilateral protectionism save Lebanon’s declining agricultural sector?
http://www.weeportal-lb.org/news/can-unilateral-protectionism-save-lebanon%E2%80%99s-declining-agricultural-sector
 

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Third call for proposals by US-funded BALADI 

7-7-2017

The USAID- funded Building Alliance for Local Advancement, Development and Investment (BALADI) program kicked off yesterday its third call for proposals to support municipal development plans in response to the Lebanese host community needs. The launching was made during a press conference attended by the USAID director in Lebanon, Ann Patterson, and Michel Mouwad, CEO of Rene Mouwad Foundation (RMF), the agency implementing the project. RMF CEO pointed out on the occasion that BALADI is not just a set of endeavors with municipalities and community organizations, but in fact represents a successful model of collaboration between civil society associations, donor parties, local authorities (namely municipalities) and the private sector. Said cooperation, Mouwad stated, has proved its efficacy, pointing to accomplishments of the past two stages of the program, which are: 57 projects from the north to the south in coordination with some 130 municipalities partnering with local community groups and the private sector which directly benefitted more than 100 thousand persons. Mouwad maintained that genuine development in Lebanon can hardly be realized without involving local authorities and municipalities which are more aware of the needs of their communities. For her part, Patterson said there is still much to do, noting that municipalities are facing real challenges on the level of human and financial resources due to a high demand for their services. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, July 7, 2017)
 

Previous related news:
USAID program to receive project proposals from municipalities

 

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Euro-Lebanese cooperation to export pharmaceuticals to Europe

6-7-2017

The industry minister Hussein Haj Hassan and the European Commission ambassador to Lebanon Christina Lassen sketched this week a road map to facilitate recognition, registration and export of made-in-Lebanon pharmaceuticals to Europe markets. Following a joint visit to pharmaceutical manufacturers, Benta Group (in Dbayeh) and Algorithm (Zuk Mkhail), both parties agreed to prepare the registration forms for interested plants and the types of medicinal drugs they manufacture, to be submitted to the European delegation visiting the country next September. The delegation is expected to evaluate the requests in line with required specifications before indexing them under European pharmaceutical lists. The European Commission Embassy in Lebanon will accordingly report to the ministries of public health and industry and push the process in the right direction, while noting that this agreed mechanism covers the 11 pharmaceutical manufacturing plants in the country. Haj Hassan disclosed after the tour that the European delegation was briefed on the expansion and advanced features of the pharmaceuticals sector in Lebanon which, he stressed, qualifies it to enter Europe. He pledged to go far in order to increase Lebanese exports to Europe in various productive sectors, including pharmaceuticals. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, July 5, 2017)

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Pilot eco-agricultural project for women empowerment in Beqaa

6-7-2017

L’Orient Le Jour brought to light an eco-agricultural venture by Faisal Saab in Hosh el Ghanam town, Zahleh, embracing thousands of acres of vegetable and fruit plantations. Saab, the newspaper wrote, has taken the project after his grandfather, Salim Saab, owner of the place since 1943. Saab studied hospitality in Lausanne, Switzerland and worked for 10 years between the US, Europe and the Arab Gulf before he decided to share this agro-tourism endeavor with his community while preserving the family’s legacy. According to L’Orient Le Jour, Saab rehabilitated the inherited rural parcel and turned it into an arable stretch of land. He consigned spaces for training workshops on the preparation of traditional mouneh items, like vinegar and jams, and carefully chose women from the area to do the training to stimulate their economic empowerment and generate jobs. Saab also opened special tracks within the farmstead for cycling, built a museum for traditional farming tools, besides a little farm for animals to entertain children and a youth club. Speaking to the newspaper, Saab disclosed that he has continuous renovation and restoration works at the site, and that he designed small rooms for people wishing to spend one day at the farm. (L’Orient Le Jour, July 6, 2017)

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Launch of SMEs Lebanese Forum

6-7-2017

The minister of trade, Raed Khury, announced yesterday the imminent launch on July 11 of the Lebanese Forum for Small and Medium Enterprises under the headline, ‘Your needs are our challenges’. The statement was made during a press conference attended by owners/managers of SMEs, the ministries of tourism, energy, industry, agriculture and communications, and Banque Du Liban which will be represented by its governor. During the conference, Khury described the country’s economy as ailing, pointing to only 1 to 2% in economic growth, besides the unemployment rate which exceeded 25%, and an economic cycle that did not achieve any positive outcomes. Khury pressed the need to focus on SMEs that account for nearly 95% of the companies operating in Lebanon and which face fierce competition, stressing the prominence of the sector which employs the biggest number of Lebanese that stay steadfast in their land and in their villages. The forum, Khury disclosed, is expected to issue feasible recommendations, conclude a cooperation agreement with the World Bank to stimulate creation of jobs, develop a plan to facilitate customs procedures and a draft law to motivate active presence of SMEs in international exhibitions. Finally, the minister of economy and trade revealed that the conference is fully supported by the president of the republic and the prime minister, hoping it will be the start of an economic renaissance, and surprisingly predicting an increase in GDP from USD 52 billion to USD 100 billion during the next 7 years (!). (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, July 6, 2017)

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