News updates

The president of the federation of Lebanese Chambers and of the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Chamber, Mohammed Shucair, met yesterday with a delegation of food processing industrialists headed by the President of the Syndicate of Food Industrialists, Munir Bsar, accompanied by the president of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, Georges Nasrawi, and discussed ways to develop the food industry sector.
Shucair stressed the importance of the food processing sector and the need to provide it with the needed support especially that is considerably expanding externally.  Shucair also expressed his readiness to support this sector with all means available to him.  He added that the Lebanese food industry will be amongst the most important Lebanese industry in the near future as Lebanese cuisine is witnessing an unprecedented growth and expansion all over the world and this helping in creating employment for the youth.  Finally, Shucair noted that he will be aiming to ensure the successful participation of Lebanese food processing industries in the upcoming Gulf Food exhibition in Dubai, while indicating his readiness to financially support the production of a promotional film on the local food industry.
Source: Al-Diyar 27 August 2014

Al Akhbar newspaper published a report on the recent emergence of small factories on the Southern borders with the aim of providing work opportunities to the local population. According to the report, factories in the south almost disappeared few years because of the effect of Israeli occupation; increased migration from these areas; the loss in labor force and the decline in demands for local products given the flooding with cheaper imported goods.  However, the situation has now somewhat changed with the emergence of the construction and food processing sectors.  Thus, small factories are being set up to produce home construction material and equipments (kitchen and wooden doors, etc.), and diverse food products such as ice cream and juices, poultry production, livestock, etc... These initiatives while small in size but seek to address local unemployment problems. However, they have yet to attract large capital investment in order to expand into larger factories which would then create hundreds of new jobs.
Within this framework, the head of the federation of municipalities in Jabal Amel, Ali al Zein, revealed that the Federation has organised several training workshops over the past two years to improve the production capacities of women and men and based on a vocational training plan prepared by the Federation.  Al Zein also noted that the Federation built a dairy production plan in Houla with funding from the South Lebanon Council and which is encouraging farmers to raise livestock and is invigorating the local economy.
Source: Al-Akhbar 27 August 2014

For more information on the subject, please review the following news, published previously on the WEEPortal:
Youth unemployment widespread in frontline South Lebanon amidst dire socio-economic general conditions
Government long-term neglect of the tourism sector in South Lebanon confines it to few modest landmarks
Call for more government involvement is support of small and medium enterprises to tackle unemployment
The last glass recycling factory in Sarafand struggling in the absence of any government interest
Surplus of agricultural crops encourages agro-processing by women cooperatives in the South with foreign assistance

The Daily Star newspaper published yesterday an interview conducted with clinical psychologist, Aya Mhanna, as part of its weekly articles on pioneer Lebanese women. Mhanna runs a practice in the Metn region, and works in cooperation with media training companies, in Turkey, to conduct therapy sessions for Syrian journalists. Mhanna shared with newspaper the struggles she faces in her job, especially when working with Syrians war victims. She explained that it is hard, as a woman, to break the ice with groups of men, many of whom are profoundly religious and culturally conservative.  At the same time, she is often is bound to tackle some serious problems such as tendencies to commit suicide which religions condemn.
Mhanna also pointed out to the physical and mental challenges that accompany her work, amid lack of tolerance and solidarity from her colleagues in Lebanon, explaining that when seeking their assistance with Syrian patents many declined to do so. She gave the example of when she tried to find a psychiatrist to accompany her and medically diagnose some of her patients in Turkey, but no one wanted to join her team. Finally, Mhanna admitted that it is a daunting task dealing with war traumatised patients while attempting to keep a lid on one’s own emotions, and although psychologists are trained to work without emotion, she conceded that a tear occasionally escaped her eyes during such sessions.

Source: The Daily Star 26 August 2014

The annual summer festivals kicked off this year amidst a general degradation of the security and political situation.  L’orient le Jour spoke with the president of the Baalbek festivals, Nayla de Freige, Beit Eddine festival, Nora Jumblat and Zuk Mikhael festival, Zelfa Boueiz.  All conceded to being concerned with the security situation although they are trying to carry on with the festivals.  This, they noted, have become more challenging over the years with a noted decline in reservations this summer.  It is to be recalled that the Baalbek festivals have been re-located, for the second year, to the Casino du Liban and the Music Hall in view of the tense security situation in the Beqaa. All three interviewees noted that the financial situation of the festivals is getting worse every year especially since the Ministry of Tourism has failed to resettle its dues since 2009 and which normally should cover one third of the total cost of the festivals.  This has forced the organizers to resort to bank loans with high interest rates.  They also deplored last year’s law number 56 which increased the VAT charges on reservations from 24.7% to 36.7%.

Source: L’Orient Le Jour 23 August 2014

The Development Forum for the Aley Highlands and its Vicinity organized yesterday an exhibition of “Mooneh” and handcraft products with the participation of members of the Progressive Women Union and the Made at Home association as well as other local associations all of whom showcased a number of crafts and embroidery.  The exhibition took place within the framework of the Ma7habba Festivals in the villages of Aley caza under the auspices of the Federation of Municipalities of Jord-Bhamdoun, Mr. Youssef Shayya and with the presence of the President of the PWU, Wafa el Abed and the WPU local representative, Muna Abu Fakhreddine.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal 26 August 2014

The Daily Star newspaper published the day before yesterday an article highlighting the work of the recently founded “Women to Women Success” association, which seeks to create income generating opportunities for housewives based on their cooking skills and tailored to their lifestyles. The NGO kicked off after 2 women, Maud Jabbur and Lama Diab, came up with the idea during their participation in a social entrepreneurship workshop, which they subsequently were able to implement with the assistance of a USD 11,000 grant from USAID.
Jabbur told the newspaper that the NGO was registered just a few months ago and works now, with 13 housewives providing them with training and support in various areas such as: culinary techniques, food safety, communication skills, and marketing. In addition WWS is building up a client’s base that ranges from companies, to banks and individuals. Diab added that research indicates that housewives and mothers work at least 90 hours per week, all for free. Hence, she concluded, fitting in a job, if the woman can even find one, is very difficult. However, the increasingly deteriorating economic conditions and fallouts on poor families have pushed women into becoming more economically active. Diab noted that her association is striving to create new income generating opportunities to women within their household context.

For more information, please visit their website: Women to Women Success; and facebook page.

Source: The Daily Star 25 August 2014

The Minister of Tourism, Michel Pharaon, inaugurated last Saturday the Ehmej Tourism festival organized by the Municipality in collaboration with the local association for village development.  The event was attended by former Minister Leila al Solh Hamadeh and a number of MPs.  The head of the local municipality, Nazih Abi Semaan, noted on his speech that such festivals are taking place when the country is suffering from many disturbances but they serve to reiterate that the Lebanese people will not succumb to pressures. Minister Pharaon praised the efforts exerted by responsible in Ehmej and indicated also that Lebanon will not succumb to violence or to dictatorship especially that his Ministry has adopted this summer’s slogan as “Lebanon land of life and freedom”.
Another summer festival also kicked off in Habbaryeh (Hasbaya) as a result of collaboration between the festival organizing committee and the Municipality and under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism.  The 2014 festival started last Friday and included a traditional village wedding, theatre representation, as well as various spectacles, and an exhibition of Lebanese food, of old photographs, as well as traditional arts and sports event.  The festival also honored  the village’s elderly.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Mustaqbal, 25 August 2014

The Arab Banks Forum which is focusing on small and medium enterprises kicked off yesterday.  The Forum which will take place over three days included a speech by the Minister of Economy and Trade, Alain Hakim, who stressed the importance of SME in raising growth rates.  Hakim also spoke about the role of his Ministry on supporting SMEs especially in terms of drawing their practical institutional frameworks for improving the situation of the SMEs in Lebanon which total some 67000 enterprises.  The President of the International Arab Banks Federation, Joseph Torbey, spoke about the resilience of SMEs especially in withstanding challenges and economic crisis.  He shared with the participants the learning form the Lebanese experience noting that SMEs represent 90% of the private sector enterprises and employ 80% of the total labor of that sector.
For his part, the first Vice President of Lebanon’s Central Bank, Raed Charafeddine, noted that most enterprises in the Arab work are small and medium enterprises.  He underlined the need to reconsider lending policies so as to take into consideration the needs of SMEs.  The honorary president of the general federation of chambers of commerce, industry and agriculture in the Arab World, Adnan Kassar, noted that SMEs are key vehicles to address the problem of growing unemployment in the Arab region which is estimated at 16% on average and at 25% amongst the youth.  

Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar, Al-Diyar, 22 August 2014

Massachusetts for Technology honored Aya Bdeir and Fadel Adib amongst 35 promising pioneers who are less than 35 years of age.  Bdeir studied Computer Engineering and Sociology at the American University of Beirut and set up a few years ago in New York the “Little Bits” Company, which produces educational electronic games for children which are inspired by Lego and are also magnetic and easy to use as it allows kids to build electronic robots.  Bdeir is a strong supporter of the use of technology to facilitate education and creation, and her toys are sold in 70 countries. Bdeir is also a media graduate from MIT and has been recently chosen amongst 100 people who are the most creative in the business sector.  Popular Mechanics magazine also selected her as one of 25 people who are recreating the American dream and CNN designated her company amongst the 10 most important emerging businesses.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal 22 August 2014

The Women Cultural Committee in Zghorta organized its annual fundraising lunch the benefits of which are used to support the rehabilitation and refurbishment of the Saint John the Baptist Cathedral.  The event was attended by representatives of local, charitable, social and women organizations.  The president of the committee, Dimia Fenianos, noted in her speech the importance of solidarity in order to address the growing needs of the community especially in terms of educational, health, economic and social needs.  The fundraiser also included an exhibition of various products made by women notably sweets, paintings and handicrafts.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 22 August 2014