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Lamia Mubayed Bsat's pioneering career

15-5-2017

L’Orient Le Jour devoted a special feature last Thursday to highlight the professional and academic journey of the head of Institut des Finances Basil Fuleihan (IoF), Lamia Mubayed Bsat after being awarded the national order of Legion of Honor from the rank of Knight last April. In an interview with the newspaper, Bsat spoke about her educational achievements. She said she graduated in 1988 with a BS in agricultural engineering from the American University of Beirut (AUB). Eventually, she discovered that she is attracted more to the field of economics and development, which she studied and graduated in 1990 with an MS degree in agricultural economics and development, noting that she won Sana Najjar-Zahr award for the best student performance given by AUB. After that, she worked as a university professor at the state-run Lebanese University School of Agriculture, before settling permanently in the field of economic development. She told L’Orient Le Jour reporter that she worked for a private sector economic institution, before moving to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), where she was introduced to good governance, public administration and institutional development programs. She mentioned her contributions to a rehabilitation and modernization state institutions project. In 2000, Bsat said she became deputy head of the Finance Institute at the Ministry of Finance (later known in 2006 as the Basel Fuleihan Institute for Economy and Finance), boasting that her team is mainly comprised of women. She concluded by expressing her trust in the State and its institutions and in bringing about change in society, including a revolution in public schools, promotion of the citizens financial awareness and promoting competence in positions of responsibility. )L’Orient Le Jour, May 11, 2017(

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First organic soap workshop

15-5-2017

Badr Hassun Eco-Village inaugurated last Saturday a workshop in Dahr el Ain in Koora for the manufacture of environmental friendly organic soap and essential oils which is the first globally. After a tour to the village and the permanent exhibition, Badr Hassun said: “We have turned the traditional craft into a Lebanese cultural speciality roaming the world.” He pointed out that the workshop has a capacity to produce over 1,400 varieties of soaps and aromatic oils from herbs planted naturally and organically in the village’s eco garden. These products are now on display in famous local and world hospitals and hotels, Hassun explained, urging local customers to contribute to the promotion of heritage products as a vehicle to promote the national industry. He demanded that Lebanese people join forces to support their industry which has become known over the globe as a “Lebanese green industry”. The labor minister, Mohammad Kabbara, who was present at the opening ceremony, praised all hardworking hands throughout generations who have turned this profession into a flourishing trade that has never stopped growing, pressing the need to protect it. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, May 14, 2017)

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Renewed call for closing down Syrian businesses to protect Lebanese industry

12-5-2017

The Lebanese Industrialists Association (LIA) has transformed what it called an “urge” to salvage Lebanon’s industrial sector into a “plea” against it, according to Al Akhbar today. The newspaper criticized a press conference on Tuesday held by LIA Head, Nadim Gemayel, in the presence of the ministers of industry and economy, which called for the closure of all illegitimate factories and plants set up by displaced Syrians across the country. It considered the LIA appeal as a serious shift from a ceaseless demand in favor of protection and advancement of national industry into a request to shut down existing factories. A call, Al Akhbar wrote, that turned a blind eye to the establishment of new facilities, or fixing the status of illegal ones, and facilitation of Syrian investment in the Lebanese industry through easing the transfer of expertise and creating more jobs provided by their establishments. Al Akhbar maintained that the roots of the industrial crisis digs deep in history and is not essentially related to the presence of legal or illegal Syrian institutions, referring to World Bank figures which recorded a decline from12.5% in 1997 to 8.8% in 2009 in the share of industry in the GDP. This explains, according to Al Akhbar, that the fall in industry indices has preceded and is unrelated to the Syrian exodus. While the average GDP growth in the mentioned period (1997-2009) was estimated at 3.7%, the average growth of industry posted 1.7%, the second lowest growth rate among sectors after agriculture (1.1%) (WB figures). The newspaper went on to say, that instead of focusing on the real causes of the crisis, the industry minister Hajj Hassan disclosed that he ordered the closure of all illegitimate factories in Beqaa, and was fully backed by his economy counterpart, who urged relevant municipalities to cooperate to this effect. (Al Akhbar, May 12, 2017)

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Scrapping sponsorship (kafala) system to boost Arab economies

12-5-2017

A recent report published by the International Labor Organization (ILO) has shown that reforming the present sponsorship system, known as ‘kafala’, which regulates the temporary migration of laborers in the Middle East shall have significant benefits. These include, improved working conditions, enhanced meeting of the needs of employers and boosting the national economy as well as labor market productivity. The ILO report entitled, ‘Employer-Migrant worker Relationships in the Middle East: Exploring scope for internal labor market mobility and fair migration’, argues that visa sponsorship gives the sponsor (kafeel), as "owner" of the work and residence permit, significant power over the lives of non-national workers, an imbalance greater than what is seen in normal labor market situations. Accordingly, the report adds, this renders human rights violations a natural phenomenon, and more, a way of life enforced on migrant workers (particularly migrant women domestic workers, who become controlled by their employers in the finest details of their lives.) Violations start from undefined working hours in return for barely one-third of the minimum wage (by virtue of Lebanese law), the deprivation of their weekly day off, racist hate talk and physical, mental and sexual abuse, which in some cases build up to acts of murder). The ILO report went on to explain that sponsorship arrangements in the Middle East have been largely criticized due to the imbalanced employer-migrant worker relationship which could develop into a form of forced labor. It based its conclusion on observations of the ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations on Forced Labor Convention, which define forced or compulsory labor as "any act or service exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the person does not voluntarily submit", that is to say, slavery. For the full report, please visit the following link: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---arabstates/---ro-beirut/documents/publication/wcms_552697.pdf

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Rab7ha Eidi good will ambassador for Live Lebanon

12-5-2017

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Live Lebanon Initiative announced yesterday the appointment of Rab7ha Eidi as its Goodwill Ambassador for her contribution to fundraising projects in support of disadvantaged communities in the country. During the appointment ceremony at the office of UNDP Resident Coordinator, Philippe Lazzarini, Eidi made clear that she never sought to do something that was good to be rewarded in return. “Therefore I am grateful to receive an honor that reinforces my zeal,” Eidi said. It should be noted, that Eidi is the founder of ‘Dar al Hanan’ association, Al Sadr Foundation in the USA and Canada, as well as Mashgara Medical Center and language school. She is also a former member of the Lebanese Honorary Council in Toledo, Ohio, in addition to being a member of the Women's Association for Cultural Events and the René Moawad Foundation (RMF) in Washington. In a parallel line, Eidi has many undertakings targeting local communities. She started her humanitarian endeavor in 1982 with organizing fundraising campaigns, particularly for helping low-income students get to US colleges, as well as provision of medical aid in Bekaa and Beirut, up to raising donations for reconstruction works in the wake of the Israeli aggression against Lebanon in 2006. Eidi has also won numerous awards, notably the US Congressional Medal of Honor for Expatriates, and just last week, received a prize from Lebanese Foreign Minister Jibran Bassil for her humanitarian work at the Lebanese Diaspora Energy Conference in Beirut. (Al Mustaqbal, May 12, 2017)

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Graduation ceremony of female students at Raml Zarif Public school

12-5-2017

As the school year drew closer to its end, Raml el Zarif co-ed public school held a graduation ceremony for middle school female students organized by its head, Zeina Atr, under the auspices of Beirut Educational District, Mohammad Jamal, and the presence of a number of headmasters of Beirut schools and graduates’ parents. On the occasion, which saw musical and theatre shows by students, Atr stressed the significance of education as a mission and not a profession, praising efforts of teaching staff to bring their students to where they are today. And in an address to the graduates, Atr maintained that by planning and perseverance, they can realize their aspirations and goals. For his part, Jamal, expressed gratitude to the school’s administration and faculty on the progress achieved on the level of educational success and extracurricular activities. (Al Diyar, May 12, 2017)

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2017 Aley trade, industrial and tourism fair

11-5-2017

In partnership with the municipality of Aley, Mount Lebanon, Aley Traders’ Association announced the launch of the trade, industrial and tourism fair from July 27 to July 30. The announcement was made during a press conference held at the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Beirut and Mount Lebanon in the presence of the president of the Federation of Lebanese Chambers, Mohammad Shukair, former minister, Akram Shehayeb and the head of the Lebanese Industrialists Association, Fadi Gemayel. Shukair described the event as an exceptional economic landmark in the area which is expected to contribute to attracting visitors from Lebanon and abroad and fuel the economic activity, locally. Shukair pressed the need to restore the positive atmosphere which attracts Arab Gulf tourists, who, he stated, bring back the lifeline of tourism to the country, namely to the towns and villages of Mount Lebanon. Likewise, Gemayel, said organizing the exhibition in the heart of the summer season is an added value to Aley, for it will reinstate the Mount Lebanon town’s leading economic locus, besides its touristic charm. Shehayeb, for his part, underlined the economic and cultural significance of similar events, especially in exposing Lebanon’s vigor at all levels. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, May 11, 2017)

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Good summer prospects for tourism in Lebanon

11-5-2017

A study by the multinational professional services firm, Ernst & Young, has shown a remarkable surge in the occupancy rates of 4 and 5 star hotels in the capital Beirut. The Middle East Hotel Benchmark Survey reported a 61.1% rate in the first quarter of the present year (the 7th highest in the region) against a 54.4% in the same period of last year (the 4th lowest). This positive outlook in the tourism industry, namely in the upcoming period, has been supported by tourism ministry figures which indicated a growth in the incoming travelers to Lebanon in the first quarter of 2017 at 12.61% compared to 2016. In this context, the head of Lebanon’s federation of touristic firms pointed to a robust and confident start in preparations for the reception of tourists and expatriates within the few coming weeks, particularly after the return of security and political stability and the lifting of the Arab Gulf ban on Lebanon. He revealed a 30% increase in hotels occupancy until the end of April as compared to the same period of the past year. Similarly, touristic federation figures displayed a buildup in reservations requests from 50% to 60% for the months of July and August 2017, anticipating a further increase at the end of the month of Ramadan. Beiruti praised the individual initiatives on the part of touristic establishments in attracting and motivating travelers to visit Lebanon, especially that the tourism ministry’s promotional campaign ‘Visit Lebanon 2017’ came late. The implementation of said project started with the beginning of the season, the fact that demoted its anticipated positive impact, Beiruti concluded. For his part, the chief of Syndicate of Owners of Hotels seemed hopeful of an inspiring summer that will witness the flocking of tourists to the country. (An Nahar, May 11, 2017)

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“Lebanese Municipal Agenda”: ICT portal in the service of citizens

10-5-2017

For the first time in Lebanon, the Agenda Municipal Libanais officially launched on May 1st its electronic portal http://www.agendamunicipallibanais.com/ that promotes the work of municipalities across Lebanon through a range of services and benefits, according to An Nahar today. The newspaper drew attention to the mastermind behind the idea, Abir Khoury Jbeily, a woman with 11 years of experience in municipal affairs and, namely, protocol management at Zuk Mkhail municipality. Khoury, who also owns and runs a 1-year-old company, Eventigani, spoke to An Nahar about this innovative venture. After a long and arduous journey in municipal work, it is difficult to attain a high level of success in the field, particularly that “we do not know what municipalities accomplish at the level of the nation”, Khoury told An Nahar reporter. She pointed out that this site brings all the municipalities together under one umbrella and acts as a liaison extending to them an opportunity to cooperate locally and globally and publicize their agendas and activities. It also informs Lebanese emigrants on all the forthcoming summer events and festivals planned by each municipality. Jbeily noted that services on the calendar section of the website are free for any municipality wishing to advertise, and communicate through the hotline its events and activities, and publish them on the platform. The agenda, Jbeili explained, provides the writing, editing and translation of speeches, documents and correspondences, as well as project management, twinning, design and distribution of brochures, books, while ensuring the quality and speed of delivery at affordable prices. (An Nahar, May 10, 2017(

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Unequal wages for private sector employees in Lebanon

10-5-2017

The little available data on inequalities in Lebanon has shown large disparities in the distribution of wages, according to Al Akhbar newspaper. While Credit Suisse Bank figures indicated that only 0.3% of Lebanese own 48% of local wealth, a joint study by the Finance Ministry and UNDP pointed out in 2015 that the wage crisis in Lebanon is not only limited to a decline (from 35% in the nineties of the last century to a current 20%) in the share of the GDP, but also has to do with inequality in the distribution of income among wage earners. The said study maintained an oscillation in private sector wages between an average high of LBP 221 million (USD 147.33) annually, that is equivalent to LBP 18.5 million (USD 12,333) per month, and roughly 27.28 times the minimum wage (LBP 675,000), and an average low of LBP 3 million (USD 2000) annually, equivalent to LBP 250,000 (USD 166.6) per month, representing only one third of the minimum wage. The above study has also shown that the 2% private sector income group accounts for 17% of the total declared wages, against a 22% share for the bottom 59% of the sector’s labor force. Disparities, the study reported, are outsized among informal and self-employed groups, as they embrace researchers, freelancers and entrepreneurs (account for 6.3% of private sector workforce), in addition to day laborers (81.5%). As such, the study analyzed, the bottom segment which comprises around 25.4% of taxpayers (receive less than LBP 6 million (USD 4 thousand) per year and less than 4% of the total income declared for this category. The upper segment, on the other hand, generating incomes starting from LBP 60 million (USD 40 thousand) per year up to LBP 120 million (USD 80 thousand), dominates about 46.7% of the total incomes. The survey has shown that disparities widen with careful examination of the shares of high income earners, noting that the share of the 1.4% of the private sector workforce (among the 6.3% segment) has reached 14% of the total incomes declared. (For more on the UNDP/ Finance Ministry study, please visit the following link: https://www.al-akhbar.com/node/276951)

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