News updates

In a statement issued by Insaan, members of general security stormed its offices the day before yesterday and arrested its assistant director Chantal Hourairi. The communiqué noted that this was an arbitrary arrest and late into the night Hourairi was still in detention. The advocacy office of the association, Rola Hamati, explained that Insaan contacted the district attorney who confirmed to her that he did not issue any arrest order but simply asked that that Hourairi be questioned on a number of issues. Hamati noted for her part that this arrest seemingly came as a trade off with J. Shoumar and R. Arangani.  She clarified that both Shoumar and Arangani have been detained by general security since April 8th though no charges were brought against them but with the intention of deporting them along with their daughter.  While this was taking place, the Judge of urgent matter court issued a decision prohibiting the deportation of Rinoca and postponing it for three weeks and so as to conduct an in-depth investigation.  Juvenile judge had also issued a judgment ordering Suzan to be placed under the care of Insaan and prohibiting her transfer to any party except via a court order.  Several associations had spoken up in September 2014 against the GM decision to freeze the renewal of work permits in categories 3 and 4 namely low income domestic, agricultural and industrial workers, who have had children in Lebanon as well as freeze the renewal of residencies for their children thus leading to their deportation.  On a similar note, the Consul of Liberia in Lebanon, Anwar Ezzedine, met with a number of officials to discuss the case of the detailed Liberian women workers in Lebanon. Ezzedine noted that the official were sympathetic to workers who were detained and indicated that they will speed up those procedures which guarantee their legal rights and will ensure their early release.  As a result, tens of women detainees were released and it is expected that the files of the remaining four cases will be subsequently studied. (As Safir, Al Akhbar, 21 & 22 April 2015)

Within the framework of the investment initiative in the MENA region funded by USAID, and for the purpose of contributing to limiting high unemployment rates in the region, creating new job opportunity, boosting sustainable social development and economic growth, USAID and Berytech jointly launched the “Insure and Match Capital” initiative in the presence of US Ambassador David Hill, Vice Assistant to the USAID Director, Mona Yacubian, USAID director in Lebanon, Caroline Bryan and Berytech’s president Maroon Shammas. The investment fund amounting to USD 15 million will spread over three years and will include three key components, namely supporting investment, guaranteeing the rights and interests of investors, and technical support. In his speech during the opening, Shammas noted that despite the significant efforts exerted during the past few years, there is still a gap in key components required by business people in Lebanon to allow them to start their businesses. He added that the collaboration with USAID will assist in invigorating the Lebanese economy, limit migration, create job opportunities and will provide skills and potentials for innovators to launch their businesses. The director of Insure and Match Capital, Nicolas Ruhana, stated that the new project will go beyond financing and will include capacity building, orientation as well as creating business development networks. (Al Mustaqbal, 16 April 2015)

As part of its global economic forecasts issued last week, the IMF estimated that real GDP growth in Lebanon will reach 2.5% this year thus recording a slight improvement over 2014 rate of 2.0%. The report expects that GDP will reach USD 54.7 billion in the current year compared to USD 49.9 billion in 2014 and USD 47.6 billion in 2013. With a population estimation of 4.6 million inhabitants, the GDP per capita is expected to reach USD12006 thus rising from USD 11068 in 2014 and USD 10655 in 2013. This slight improvement in the economic performance is accompanied by the relative stabilization of inflation. The IMF expects a low inflation rate of 1.1% in 2015 compared to 1.9% in 2014 and 4.8% in 2013 especially as a result of the global drop in oil prices. Furthermore, IMF added that the decline in oil imports this year will reflect positively on the country’s trade deficit compared to the GDP which will decrease to 22.2% in 2015, from 26.7% in 2013 and 24.9% in 2014.

The Lebanese Cooperative Association for Development (LCAD) was created in 1992 through an initiative by Father Yoakim Mubarak. It was set up by 400 Maronite personalities with each donating part of its capital which totaled USD 800 million.  At its onset, LCAD aimed at providing small credits to help Maronites overcome problems resulting from the war, halting the demographic erosion of Christian communities and encouraging their members to steadfast on their lands and curtail domestic migration to the capital. Since its inception, the financial services of the cooperative covers all Lebanese regions while targeting existing or emerging agricultural, handcrafts and food processing projects. LCAD charges a low interest rate of 6.5%, compared to average 13% charged by other credit institutions. While the association’s declared aim is to provide credits to Maronites only, it has shown some flexibility and has reached other Christian communities as well, according to Serge Uayss who has been managing the association for the past 7 years. The association is affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture unlike all others microfinance organizations which are affiliated to the Ministry of Social Affairs. In 2014, the association gave a total of 430 credits amounting to USD 2 million. The total number and value of credits increased during 2014 by 29% and 30% respectively. The association’s accrued profits by the end of 2014 amounted to USD 25,000 only. According to Uayss, LCAD received in 2011 a USAID grant of USD 12 million. The association also collaborates with three commercial banks; notably Byblos, Libano-Francaise and BLT and maintains strong partnership with the General Administration of Catholic Schools and the Maronite Research Centre. (L’Orient Le Jour, 21 April 2015)

L’Orient le Jour published an article yesterday on the global patterns of natural products consumption and highlighted a new concept introduced in the 2007 edition of US Oxford Dictionary namely that of “locavore” and which refers to an increasingly popular pattern in the West which encourages the consumption of products planted within 100 kilometers from one’s residence. This concept also emphasizes the direct relation between producers and consumers. According to the newspaper, consumption of natural products in Lebanon is on the rise especially following the nutrition scandal unmasked recently by the Ministry of health and which led to the current food safety campaign. According to the director of IMC, consumption of natural products has increased by 20% in Lebanon. The newspaper refers to a number of merchants offering natural products namely ‘Souk al Tayeb’ and the Organic Food Baskets. Reference is also made to the ‘Potager Bio’ label which was created in 2011 and operated by Rudy and Zeina Daood who market natural produces originating from their farm located in Western Beqaa. Their shop has 5 employees and distributes hundreds of organic baskets weekly. These include naturally planted and harvested legumes such as for instance spinach, lettuce, parsley, onions, potatoes and other at a cost of USD 20 per basket. The newspaper notes that this is a reasonable price compared to that of other natural products. The newspaper also refers to the Bioland shop founded by Henry Obeid in 2013 to market the products of his farm in Ashrafieh. The shop offers a variety of legumes, fruits and greens via an outlet on Ashrafieh which also markets other organic products, comprises a restaurant and provides a delivery service. (L’Orient Le Jour, 21 April 2015)

The 22nd edition of the annual Horeca forum kicked off yesterday at the Biel compound under the auspices of the Minister of Tourism Michel Pharaon.  The Director General of Hospitality Services, Jumana Dammoos Salameh noted that the focus this year will be on rewarding young skills and creativity and highlighting Lebanese chefs through various competitions. In his opening address, Minister Pharaon reminded the audience of the events in 2014 when the situation of the tourism sector was bleak with a drop of 40%. He added that initiatives such as Horeca succeeded in stimulating the sector which grew by 23% last summer, 25% in the last three month of 2014 and 28% in the first trimester of 2015. This year, Horeca will include three exhibitions namely the international hospitality and food services forum, the food processing exhibition and the Beirut international wine and spirits exhibition. The event involves 350 exhibitors, 25 international experts and 500 participants in 20 competitions and daily workshops. (Al Diyar, 20 April 2015)

A new agricultural disaster was recorded this time in northern town of Bazoun, in Bsharri. Over 1500 cherry, apple and pear trees and a number of old forest trees were completely uprooted by the winter storms in addition to damages caused by rockslides, which resulted in the destruction of reinforcement walls and of irrigation networks. Farmers complained to the town municipality which appealed to MPs Sitrida Geagea and Elie Kayrooz for help in containing the emerging crisis. Mayor Hanna Faddoul explained that every year farmers have to endure the effects of winter storms and bad harvests while falling into financial debts as a result of high costs of production and insufficient sales. Faddoul urged the Higher Relief Committee to visit the town and assess the damages. (Al Mustaqbal, 20 April 2015)

The border village of Ain Arab, which lies in the Beqaa some 120 km from the capital Beirut, suffers from harsh economic and living conditions as a result of Israeli past occupation and decades of neglect. The majority of the reaming 400 residents of Ain Arab rely on agriculture and animal-raising for their livelihoods. It is to be noted that in the past the population of the village was 1300 inhabitants most of home moved out as a result of occupation and neglect by government which failed to provide inhabitants with the needed support particularly in agriculture in order that they steadfast on their land. Speaking to Al Diyar daily, one resident indicated that the marketing of local agriculture produces is the main priority followed by addressing environment related problems, particularly the settling up of a sewage system. He cited other problems like rare job prospects and the extensive presence in cultivated fields of mines and cluster bombs left by Israeli forces after the liberation of the South. The people of the town called on government to support agriculture and to provide them with much needed health and social services. (Al Diyar, 20 April 2015)

After the closure of ‘Nasib’ crossing at the Jordanian-Syrian borders, farmers and exporters were left with the expensive sea route which is twice the current transportation cost. Moreover, the new solution is resulting in delays ranging from 10 days to one month for goods to arrive at destination. One merchant and exporter, Riad Al Samad complained that one cooler vessel is costing between USD 5 and 6 thousand compared to a USD 2500 - 3000 overland. Describing the present situation as disastrous, Samad reminded that recently total exports were falling every year as a result of high freight costs and mounting danger on land routes. Costs of shipping, he maintained, have risen from USD 2000 to nearly USD 4000. “But now, shipment by sea is expected to cost as much as USD 7000, which will undoubtedly result in additional costs and losses for Lebanese traders,” Samad added. He explained that exporters have reduced their exports to the maximum, noting that while they used to export 35 cold storage trucks every month, they do so now in 4 month period. Likewise, Muhammad Mubayed, a farmer and exporter, lamenting the current situation, said that the citrus fruits sector has received a severe blow and demanded exceptional governmental efforts to save the industry. He added that farmers’ losses in the last 10 days reached some USD 150 thousand and that only 20% of total citrus production was sold this year. On a similar note, potato cultivators in Akkar, appealed to the Lebanese authorities, namely the Ministry of Agriculture, to find a sustainable solution to the emerging crisis of agriculture exports. Speaking on their behalf, Omar Hayek, chief of the agriculture cooperative for potato growers in Akkar, pointed out that some 80-100 thousand of tons of potato are threatened, while noting that the Akkar farmers rely mainly on potato seasons for their livelihoods. Similarly, Beqaa farmers complained about shortages in seasonal agricultural workforce, primarily from Syria which dropped by 50%, as a result of recently imposed restrictions. The head of the Department for Agriculture Services and Development at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Zahle and Beqaa, Engineer Saeed Jadoun, indicated that Syrian seasonal workers who normally commute to work in Lebanon, did not show up this year. Moreover, farmers complained about the additional costs incurred as a result of this new shortage. As a result of shortage, farmers are forced to pay workers LBP 40 thousand a day against LBP 10 and 20 thousand in the past years. To this should be added the payment for the residency fee amounting to LBB 400 thousand, and LBP 120 thousand for the work permit. (As Safir, L’Orient Le Jour, 17 April 2015)

Students of universities from across Lebanon visited the thirteenth Vocations’ Exhibition organized by the Sagesse University. The event was held at Sagesse campus in Furn al Chebak, Beirut under the patronage of Labor Minister Sajaan Azzi in the presence of the President, deans of colleges, administrative staff and students. Some 100 financial, banking, insurance, health, commercial and industrial establishments took part in the exhibition, along with security and military institutions. In his opening speech, Monsignor Kamil Mubarak, the President of the University, called on students of Sagesse and other universities to seize the opportunity and look for jobs that allow them to serve their country. He announced that the University plans to create new schools to complement the seven already established schools. For his part, Azzi urged students visiting the exhibition to join the domestic labor market which he said is “in need of their potentials.” He pointed out that the “use of foreign expertise is mainly due to insufficient qualified domestic skills and because young people from both sexes refuse to work in certain sectors.” (An Nahar, Al Diyar, 17 April 2015)