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Government approves support and compensation to wheat and apple farmers

7-10-2016

After the rallies and protests staged by apple growers across the country, the Lebanese government during a cabinet meeting yesterday endorsed the support of farmers through the compensation of LBP 5 thousand for each 20-kg apple box of this year’s harvest while advancing LBP 40 billion to the Higher Relief Council to this effect. The government also decided to offer compensation at the level of LBP 120 thousand for each acre of wheat for the present season only. Citing informed sources, An Nahar newspaper reported that the economy ministry under direct supervision of the minister Alain Hakim himself, will, as of today, Friday, October 7, develop a mechanism of action, in coordination with the Military which has at hand the findings of surveys it took in the past few years of a number of regions. Cooperation, the newspaper wrote, will also involve municipalities, regarding the number of delivered apple trees, the quantity of production and names of farmers. The plan will be followed shortly with the creation of alternative outlets for marketing the production. Al Akhbar today criticized the bombast which, it said, was kicked off by the foreign minister, Gebran Bassil, who strappingly threw the solution in the court of Syrian refugees. Now, the newspaper satirically wrote, it is being manipulated by a group of officials, media figures and merchants for a display of bravado and for promoting certain products. In this respect, the leading mobile operator, Alpha Lebanon, launched yesterday across all its local branches a campaign entitled ‘our responsibility… is to market our products’. The company will distribute apples to all its clients at its 9 points of sale in support of apple farmers. (Al Akhbar, Al Diyar, As Safir, Al Mustaqbal, October 6 and 7, 2016)

 
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Acute drop in production and employment of the private sector

6-10-2016

The BLOM Bank indicator for economic activity of the Lebanese private sector companies (PMI) has posted 45.1 points last September with a slight rise against August figures (45 points) but has pointed to another serious decline in the overall economic conditions of the sector across the country. To note, PMI is a complex indicator calculated on the average of five basic components that determine the activities of companies as such: new orders at hand (30% of the indicator); level of production (25%); level of recruitment (20%), dates of delivery to suppliers (15%) and procurements (purchasing) stock (10%), (whereby 50.0 point is equivalent to the zero point). The BLOM Invest report maintained that the continual decline in the volume of new incoming businesses during September has been a key factor for the shrinking level of production in the private sector. This, besides the continuing negative levels of demand enthused by a precarious political conditions. The month of September has again witnessed a fall in the level of orders of new exports and a similar fall in the volume of purchases at private sector institutions, with an increase in the average prices of purchases for three months in a row. On the other hand, the report pointed to a slight and almost marginal increase in the rate of deflation as compared to August (50.4 points from 50.2 points in August). In terms of jobs, the rate of recruitment in the private sector has dropped for the 7th consecutive month, with companies reducing the number of their personnel due to a weak transaction activity. Subsequently, the indicator recorded 49.7 points from 49.5 points in August. Meanwhile, data has indicated a minor increase in the average rates of salaries/wages during September, for the third time in the past four months. (Al Akhbar, Al Hayat, October 6, 2016(
 

 

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Shabtini in favor of an UN initiative to prioritise women refugees

6-10-2016

The minister of the displaced, Alice Shabtini, stressed the need for meetings that promote the social status of women and secure better environment for the development of their capacities. Shabtini was speaking during the Second Regional Forum for Social Responsibility 2016 organized between October 3-4 by the Arab Women’s Council. The Lebanese minister called for easing restrictions on women laid by outdated regimes and patriarchal mindsets seeking to prevent their emancipation. Shabtini also chaired a dialogue session entitled ‘support for and provision of the basic needs of women refugees and their rehabilitation to participate in reconstruction of devastated areas’, where she stressed the need to launch a UN program to this effect. Recalling the intense Lebanese experience in this context, Shabtini lauded the work of the ministry of the displaced which succeeded in the return of the internally-displaced Lebanese people to their land in the post-civil war era. “We are available and willing to extend our experience as a model to be replicated in the different countries in the region which host refugees, particularly, those coming from Syria,” Shabtini concluded.  (Al Mustaqbal, October 6, 2016)
 

 

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AUB promotes entrepreneurship and students protest against Nestle Café

6-10-2016

The American University of Beirut (AUB) celebrated yesterday for the third consecutive year the Innovation Day 2016 where dozens of booths were set up for students to expound their causes and cultural campaigns. The aim of the event was to raise awareness for innovation and entrepreneurship through participation in various educational activities. Among the organizers were 4 AUB bodies and 15 student societies. The program of the day included recreational games and competitions aimed at familiarizing students with innovative methods of thinking required for the development of projects in specific areas, notably, waste management, environment protection and social schemes. The list of the organising bodies included the Center for Research and Innovation, the Office of Grants and Contracts and the Technology Transfer Unit, in coordination with the Nature Conservation Center, the Darwazah Center for Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship and the AUB libraries. 
On the other side, a number of AUB students staged yesterday a sit-in in protest against the privatisation of  Nestle Toll House Café, and this after the extension of lease to the cafe by the university’s administration. The movement came part of a recently-launched campaign ‘Students against Nestle’ which triumphantly succeeded in blocking all the entries to the Café for one whole hour. A petition that was circulated among students and staff that collected some 400 signatures rejected all attempts to privatize the coffee shop and called for the termination of the lease agreement with Nestle and the replacement of the multinational by a local enterprise. The petition expounds the many reasons behind the students move, notably, Nestle’s support to the Israeli occupation, the practice of child labor and theft of the groundwater resources of many countries worldwide. To be recalled, that in the past, students have protested the Nestle Toll House Café presence at AUB but the latter’s administration has failed to respond.  (The Daily Star, As Safir, Al Akhbar, October 6, 2016)
 

 

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Azzi for the extension of social security to cover agricultural workers

5-10-2016

The labor minister Sajaan Azzi called yesterday for setting an all inclusive insurance plan covering all workers in the agriculture industry regardless of gender or ethnicity. Azzi was speaking during his sponsorship of a pan Arab seminar on 'social insurance for workers in the informal agriculture and economic sector', planned by the Arab Labor Organization-Social  Protection Department, in collaboration with the Arab Association for Social Security. One of the main reasons for neglect of the agriculture sector by the Lebanese people, Azzi said, is the absence of social and health coverage. "We should be able to reach this point in order to give farmers the hope to remain  steadfast, reinstating the relation between man and his land and understanding the true notion of resistance and liberation to this effect.  For his part, the head of the Arab Labor Organization, Fayez Matiri emphasised the basic right of workers in the sector to social security in accordance with Recommendation No 9, issued by ALO in 2014, and concerning social protection. It is as well an essential economic and social tool to achieve social justice, he said, and to support transition from informal to more sustainable economies. (Al Mustaqbal and Al Diyar 5 October 2016)

 

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Shuf Entrepreneur, a ray of hope for rural youth and women

5-10-2016

In an article published today, L’Orient Le Jour brought to light a new initiative launched from the village of Kahluniyeh in Shuf area, and managed by a group of some 100 volunteers operating in 8 regions of the Shuf Moutain. The Shuf Entrepreneur, as it is named, was founded by Haitham Saab, CEO of the software development company, TechGenies, and founder of the Knowledge Exchange Forum. The initiative is aimed to support the young people and women, as well as small and medium enterprise (SMEs) to empower them through the development of professional skills. Throughout his work at TechGenies, Saab said he identified some gaps between the aptitudes of youth and the size of the required professional skills. What inspired him to kick off the project, he pointed out, is the Directive No. 331 issued by the Bank of Lebanon and related to the support of SMEs, particularly those in the domain of IT. The Shuf Entrepreneur, Saab explained, works along 4 levels: the development of entrepreneurships in rural areas; building professional skills and capacities; empowerment of women and support of SMEs. In his interview with L’Orient Le Jour, Saab focused on women which he maintained has the lion’s share of the group’s attention, downplaying the outdated cultural assumption that that women’s capacities are less than men’s. He underscored that the program seeks to empower women so as to cope with impeding challenges and identify appropriate businesses for their skills and circumstances, including for example, working from home.
(L’Orient Le Jour, October 5, 2016)
 

 

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Two school and university teams winners of INJAZ Lebanon Young Entrepreneurs Competition

5-10-2016

The non-profit organization, INJAZ Lebanon, affiliate of Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide and member of INJAZ Al-Arab, announced last Saturday its winners in the National Young Entrepreneurs Competition during a ceremony at the Lebanese American University (LAU) in Beirut. The competition was held under the sponsorship of the Bank of Lebanon and ABC compound, in collaboration with the United Nations Information Center (UNIC Beirut) and Toastmasters event partner. The member of the judging panel, Central Bank’s Vice Governor, Saad Andari, delivered the ‘Best Company’ 2016 award to two winners for the category of schools and colleges. On the occasion, Andari stressed the function of the competition as “a main platform for inspiring the young generation in Lebanon to become innovative entrepreneurs and play a pivotal role in boosting domestic economy and placing Lebanon on the global economic map.” For the category of schools, the Healthlet team from Lady of Balamand High School, won the prize for devising a wristband using NFC technology which allows paramedics quick access to medical information in cases of emergency. The device can also be used on a global level via the internet. For the category of universities, the winner Riwayat team from the state-run Lebanese University-School of Fine Arts, created outstanding comic books that are distinctive in their novelty and diverse tactics in supporting social causes. Riwayat assists non-government organizations and social responsibility programs at private sector in order to raise social awareness of children and youth. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, October 4, 5, 2016)
 

 

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Overwhelming resentment of men's violence towards working women in Tripoli

4-10-2016

In a special feature today, Journalist Dumu3 Al Asmar, portrayed in Al Diyar newspaper the anguish felt by working women in Tripoli, North Lebanon, as a result of growing violence (sometime rape) to which women are subjugated, as they compete with men in the workplace. The newspaper pointed out that despite the remarkable presence of women in major sectors, notably, law, medicine and nursing, as well as the high decision making positions which women in the Tripoli fill in the various associations or political parties women’s sectors, yet many working women have expressed their resentment over serious rights violations and patriarchal attitudes by their men colleagues. On the subject, one woman speaking to Al Diyar reporter described the different forms of sexual harassment practiced on women, including verbal and physical abuse, leading in some cases to rape incidents. “There have been many such instances, some were exposed and others hushed for fear of scandal or slander,” she said. “Some people insist on blaming women, while knowing that they are the victims, under the pretext that the women have to pay for competing with men in the professional life and hence have to put up with all sorts of harassment,” she added. Another woman spoke up citing the daily risks girls undergo during while using cabs when some irresponsible taxi drivers pick on them. The problem, the newspaper wrote, is yet exacerbated by the fact that these attacks are seldom formally registered. In conclusion, Al Asmar stressed the need for further awareness- raising campaigns that will target the youth and men in particular. (Al Diyar, October 4, 2016)
 

 

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How economically useful is the participation of producers in exhibitions and conferences?

4-10-2016

Al Akhbar daily newspaper published today an article questioning the impact of large funds available to the Beirut Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture and earmarked to the endless conferences and exhibitions held inside and outside the country. Al Akhbar stated that the returns on exhibitors or producers participating in such events were almost zero, considering the additional levy imposed on them, while, noting at the same time, the large increase in the Chamber’s travel expense. Citing informed sources, Al Akhbar said the budget for expositions during 2016 was set at nearly LBP 600 million, 95% of which was spent to date. This budget, the newspaper went on to say, is very high compared to the previous one (LBP 300 million for the year 2015), noting that the Chamber actually spent some LBP 450 million last year, (i.e. exceeding the budget by 36%). Furthermore, and according to the newspaper, the total budget for exhibitions and conferences amounts to LBP 970 million, (which is equivalent to USD 647 thousand). This, the newspaper explained, represents around 10% of the overall budget of the indebted Chamber. Such expenditures also constitute about 18% of total membership fees. In a similar vein, Toni Rami, President of the Syndicate of Restaurants, Cafes and Patisseries expressed relief over the success of the recent Beirut Restaurants Festival which hosted over 70 top eateries from the capital, while noting that the number of visitors reached some 18,000 people (see the news: http://bit.ly/2dsMqlr). (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, Al Akhbar, October 1-4, 2016)

 

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Defense of Tobacco institutions in Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Tunisia against world trade restrictions

4-10-2016

The national tobacco institutions in Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Tunisia stressed after a meeting in Beirut last Thursday the need to bring about flexible legislations that take into consideration the production, the value chain, the financial input to domestic economy and the creation of jobs generated by this industry. The ‘Beirut Declaration’ as the statement was titled, warned that excluding the tobacco sector from relevant international trade and investment agreements and tightening restrictions on the legitimate trade in the product, will eventually have negative ramifications and could step up illegal smuggling, and counterfeiting of the goods. On the other hand, participants reiterated the significant role played by tobacco production and trade in the growth of economy in many world countries, including the aforementioned Arab countries. The cultivation of the crop, they stressed, contributes to the development of crop growing communities, alleviating poverty and increasing the steadfastness of farmers to their land. They also drew attention to the legitimacy of the agriculture which they noted requires official support on parity with other types of farming. Similarly, the state-run Regie company clarified that the above meeting emanated from a shared conviction by participating countries regarding serious threats to this government supported sector. In this respect, a delegation including directors general of the four tobacco enterprises visited the finance minister, Ali Hassan Khalil to report on the results of the meeting. (Al Mustaqbal, September 30, October 1, 2016)
 

 

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