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Lebanese student, Diala Masri, has won the Rhodes scholarship from Oxford University, Britain, in a historic launch for the region. The Rhodes Scholarship is awarded annually to high achiever students from all over the world to complete their studies and has opened its doors for the first time to students coming from Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan, noting that the other two lucky persons are Hisham Abu Shamma and Nur Arafa from Palestine.  Masri holds a Bachelors of Art with distinction in International Affairs from the Lebanese American University in 2014 and has received the Torch Awards and a master’s degree in policy economics through a Fulbright scholarship from Williams College. She was a laureate of the Harvard World Model United Nations and won the Diplomacy Award in New York in 2012. Currently, Masri is working as a research assistant in economics at Williams. She seeks to shape economic policies in the Middle East to help overcome obstacles to growth. (L’Orient Le Jour, December 30, 2016)

 

The leading British branded business valuation and strategy consultancy institution, Brand Finance, recently issued its report for the year 2016 on the most valuable brands around the world. Accordingly, the trademark of each country is calculated through a specific technical process adopted by the institution. In the case of Lebanon, the report has placed it the 12th position (the last) regionally, and in the 85th globally falling from 83 last year (among 100 countries) and posting a USD 19 billion in the overall value of its trademarks. Lebanon, the report indicated, recorded a fall by 14% (nearly USD 3 billion) from the year 2015, posting the second highest decline rate in the region, while maintaining the stable classification standard, A. Regionally, the Brand Finance report pointed to an (AA) for Saudi Arabia, putting the Kingdom in the first place regionally and 22 among world countries, with an estimated national trademark value of USD 482 billion. SA was followed by the United Arab Emirates (AAA), second regionally and 24 globally with estimated USD 478 trademark value. Egypt, according to the above report, came fifth (A+) regionally and 53 globally, with USD 98 billion in trademark value. Globally, the United States topped the list with an (AAA) value, followed by China and Germany that maintained last year’s marks. (Al Diyar, December 30, 2016) For more, please visit the following link: http://brandfinance.com/images/upload/nation_brands_2016_report.pdf

 

 

In a special story today, As Safir newspaper portrayed the fate of the last Fez maker in Lebanon who decided to close down his age-old business in Tripoli and look for another promising career. Mohammad Shaar, in his thirties, has been manufacturing fezzes for 12 years and moving between the copper compressor, fire, Fez molds, straw and fabric, needed to create the original Fez. Mohammad, As Safir wrote, is sad to give up on his arty profession, and despite his participation in ‘Tripoli in Hamra’ event, the “ache is so deep that it cannot be described in writing,” he said. “It is the wound caused by a civilization which turns its back on us. It is heritage impaired by modernity and joy that is suffering incessant attempts to kill it,” Mohammad grieved. On the falling back of this traditional trade, As Safir reported that the Fez market customers have been reduced to a few sheiks and enthusiast tourists. However, the Fez, the newspaper added, remains common in funeral rituals in some regions of Lebanon where it accompanies the deceased to his tomb. No one is to blame for the fast changing of circumstances and fickle people’s preferences, the newspaper went on to say, while criticizing those who “could not care less for heritage and culture but seek to reduce tourism in Lebanon into recreation in sophisticated resorts”. (As Safir, December 30, 2016)

 

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The Shuf Biosphere Reserve Committee disclosed after a review meeting held last week that some 97 thousand people visited the natural reserve in 2016 with an increase of 14 thousand persons from 2015. Furthermore, the Reserve has implemented projects worth some USD one million to support and improve the infrastructure of eco-tourism and rehabilitate ecological systems, besides undertakings related to rural development, tourism marketing, environmental awareness and protection of biodiversity. Nizar Hani, manager of the Reserve, pointed out that during the past three years, nearly 160 hectares of land have been planted or transformed, bringing to mind the first prize won by the Reserve in the competition organized by UNDP in coordination with ABC Energy, LLC, for the best ecological building in the country. Hani also mentioned various other schemes implemented in cooperation with a large number of foreign and domestic organisations. This, he said, in addition to participation of the Reserve in a number of local events and festivities, exhibitions and workshops. (Al Mustaqbal, December 29, 2016)

 

The so-called ‘Maakon Khabar’ movement organized yesterday an exhibition in front of the tourism ministry, Beirut, to promote the touristic landmarks of Tripoli, demanding enlisting the northern capital on Lebanon’s tourism map. The movement urged in a statement, the tourism minister to carry out the needed improvements namely restoration of Tripoli’s touristic facilities, notably, Khan al Askar and Rashid Karami International Exhibition Center; activation and promotion of touristic-bound products, like handicrafts (manufacture of fezzes and turbans, soap, copper, leather shoes, bamboo and straw chairs, maamoul (cookies) molds and traditional Arabic dresses; renovation and activation of the Tripoli Tourism Center; planning itineraries to Tripoli’s islands nature reserves in coordination between the ministry and tour operators through the consignment of tourist boats; organizing festivals under the sponsorship of the ministry; activation of internal travel through customized tours, with focus on familiarizing economic businesses and banks to the city and its landmarks, and finally speeding up the opening of the Tripoli Museum located inside its citadel. (Al Diyar, December 29, 2016)

 

In cooperation with Makhzumi Foundation and the Italian Armadilla Association, the Center of Azza and Irki for Sports, Environment and Social Development in Zaharani, the South, distributed yesterday certificates to women participants who completed a 2-year environmental crafts sessions. The workshops, organized by the municipalities of the towns of Azza and Irki, came as part of the ‘Improvement of Environment for the Promotion of Sustainable Development and Comprehensive Growth’ project funded by the European Union. The beneficiaries had the chance to acquire needed skills and technical aptitudes for crafting, as well as, raise their environmental awareness, particularly on minimizing, upcycling and recycling of waste. In addition, participants were trained on how to explore economic prospects of their artisanal activity, through the setting up of individual business, which will promote social and economic empowerment, and therefore, independence and self-reliance of women. (Al Diyar, December 29, 2016)

 

The size of the food industry sector in Lebanon for 2013 amounted to nearly USD one billion and 100 million of the Gross Domestic Product which stood at USD 44.35 billion, thus representing 2.4% of GDP (based on World Bank figures), according to a study recently published by the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL). The study entitled, ‘investment opportunities in the agro-food sector for the year 2016’, and reported in Al Akhbar newspaper of yesterday, aims at promoting investment in the food industries through the following: provision of the required database and statistics; casting IDAL anticipations of existing prospects, and offering investors incentive and tax exemption packages. According to the above study, the agro-food sector is a leading job generator within the industrial sector, securing over 20 thousand jobs (around 25% of the total industrial labor force). The sector also embraces the largest share (23%) of the industrial establishments (equivalent to 970 businesses), according to IDAL survey, which adds that nearly 34% are located in Mount Lebanon and 30% in the Beqaa area. In terms of exports, the study indicated a growth in food industrial exports from USD 422 million in 2012 to USD 548 million in 2015, representing nearly 18.6% of overall Lebanese exports during the same year. Food industry exports per category were distributed as such: fish and meat (25.8%, the largest ratio); breads and pastries (17.8%); dairy products and cheeses (11.5%); dried fruits and veggies (10.9%), while the main destination of made-in-Lebanon goods were the Arab countries. Finally, IDAL study noted 5 key areas for potential investment in the food sector that could achieve significant growth rates in the coming years, namelybolive oil, dairy products, dried fruits and nuts, canned foods and wine. (More on the study on the following link: http://al-akhbar.com/node/270162).  Al-Akhbar 28 December 2016)

 

The president of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Tripoli and the North, Tufic Dabbusi, sponsored yesterday the distribution of cheques on a number of beneficiaries from the Danish-funded SME Support Project for Lebanese Residents and Syrian Refugees in Tripoli and Zghorta. The ceremony was held in the presence of the director general of the Chamber affiliated Business Incubation Association in Tripoli (BIAT), Fawaz Hamedi, and a group of concerned dignitaries. On the occasion, Dabbusi lauded the role of BIAT in its commitment, as a coordinator, to the implementation of the contents of the project, and hailed the constructive intervention of the Danish donors in providing support to small and medium enterprises. Dabbusi underlined the importance of strengthening ties between Lebanese and Syrian innovators. For his part, Hamedi revealed that BIAT has received a considerable number of applications that were carefully reviewed and selected in line with set benchmarks. He pointed out that the participating entrepreneurs have completed training sessions on how to prepare a feasibility study and employ practical applications that guarantee success. In conclusion, Hamedi announced that 15 projects were shortlisted after being properly evaluated. They also received financial grants up to USD 5 thousand and 10 thousand each, depending on the type and cost of the project. (Al Diyar, December 28, 2016)

 

As Safir daily highlighted in its Saturday edition the growing of white onions in the southern town of Kfarfila, Nabatieh, which has flourished extensively thanks to local women. This kind of farming, As Safir wrote, which does not necessitate special care or funds, has become known across the Lebanese regions as a Kfarfila product. In addition to onion growing, the newspaper said, Kfarfila women are also skillful in threading or stringing onion plants which provides them with an additional income that partly covers their yearly expenses. But, according to As Safir, despite the efforts of women of Kfarfila, concerned agricultural associations are almost absent in the town and its environs. The price of one kilogram of onions, As Safir said, varies between LBP 3000 to 4000, while a string of onion is sold at LBP 20 thousand. And despite the cheaper prices of imported onions which are bounteous at most vegetable stores, they fail to compete with the exclusive products of Kfarfila, As Safir cited some customers as saying. (As Safir, December 23, 2016)

 

In collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the ministry of industry organized yesterday a food tasting gathering at “Creative Lebanon Center” in Gemmayzeh, Beirut in the presence of the ministry’s director general, Dany Gedeon and UNIDO project coordinator, Nada Barakat. It should be noted that ‘Creative Lebanon’ boutique was inaugurated in July, 2016, to help small and medium-scale producers in showcasing their innovative products and establishing closer links with the local markets. The boutique is a joint venture between the ‘Development of Clusters in Cultural and Creative Industries in the Southern Mediterranean’ project funded by the EU, and the Italian Government within the framework of Supporting Host Communities in Lebanon Affected by the High Influx of Syrian Refugees, known as CELEP-III. (Al Diyar, December 28, 2016)