News updates

Following the serious damages that have affected large agricultural areas of Lebanon notably North, mid and West Beqaa as well as Akkar as a result of the recent wave of frost, the Minister of Agriculture, Akram Chehayeb, convened a meeting in his office yesterday with the members of the committee to follow up in damages in the Beqaa.  The meeting was also attended by MPs Ali Mokdad, Elie Maroni, Jamal Jarrah, and the director general of the Ministry of Agriculture, Louis Lahhud.

During the meeting, Chehayeb declared that the Ministry acted immediately and started to prepare a complete and comprehensive file on the damages suffered in all the areas of Lebanon.  He added that the said compensation dossier was submitted to the Cabinet for its perusal during the next upcoming sessions and so as to prepare to a roster of compensation for farmers.  Chehayeb added that, in addition to the compensation dossier, he has also sent requests to many Arab countries seeking their financial assistance.  He also noted that this matter will be on the agenda of the next meeting of the Arab Ministers of Agriculture which will be held soon in Kuwait with a view to discussing the possibility of securing aid in kind to farmers.

Source: http://www.assafir.com/Article/1/347443">Al-Safir, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Diyar 23 April 2014

Al Mustaqbal newspaper published a report about the difficult realities of the livestock sector in Akkar which is still suffering from serious challenges such as high cost of production and health care, limited markets amidst the absence of any support from state institutions.  In addition, and more recently the sector is suffering from a growing phenomena of stealing livestock and of cross border contraband.

According to Hussein Saleh, a cattle breeder and milk trader for the last forty years, the sector has been bled dry and needs urgent intervention in order to overcome the challenges caused by increased production cost namely through subsidizing animal feed, providing necessary vaccination at no cost and via regular vaccination campaigns.  He noted that there are no government vaccination centers in the area and he called on the latter to give due attention to this vital agricultural resource through protecting livestock and more specifically the indigenous lineage.  Saleh added that despite the fact that milk production in Akkar is estimated at about 30 to 35 thousand ton per year, however, current marketing methods are unfavorable to farmers who are forced to rely on direct traders or on retail middlemen who are able to control prices.

Shafeeq Yaghi, another cattle breeder and milk trader, noted that climatic changes, the reduction of green fields and lack of incentives for planting animal feed all have a negative impact on animal growth and their average fertility.  Ahmad Darweesh from Qab3eet highlighted another problem namely the paucity of dairy production factories in Akkar which force livestock breeders to resort to larger factories which impose prices that are lower than production costs. The report concluded by pointing out to the emergence of a new trend namely the theft of cows and sheep and their smuggling across the border.  According to the sources of the article, this requires a tight security plan to protect people and their livelihoods, and the setting up of serious border controls to halt the smuggling of livestock, milk and dairy products.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal 23 April 2014

The Students Affairs Office at the American University of Beirut is organizing the annual Job Fair-Exhibition 2014, which will be held on the 24th and 25th of April with the participation of some 130 companies from around the world.  The event aims at helping AUB students and alumni in finding employment.

The recruitment director at AUB, Maryam Ghandour, indicated in an interview with the Daily Star that, although the job fair is attracting a relatively large number of companies, many foreign companies declined the invitation for fear of the unstable political situation in the country and indicated their need for assurances that the security situation was improving before they could participate. Ghandour also indicated that this instability is making Lebanese firms hesitant when it comes to recruiting new employees adding that some people are even postponing their projects and start-ups till after the election of the new president.

Ghandour also emphasized the important role of universities in helping students choose majors that best fit their personality, as well as setting tailored programmes that would improve students’ abilities and skills and match the needs of the job market. She also indicated that firms usually hire employees based on a set of criteria, the most important of which being language skills, analytical and research skills, as well as leadership, organizational and management skills.

Source: The Daily Star 23 April 2014

Al Mustaqbal newspaper published a report on the scrap market in Akkar which has now turned into a flourishing domestic business although it used to rely on illicit trafficking of metal scraps from Syria and Iraq via Wadi Khaled and the Bekaa.

The report notes that the scrap market resells used metal items such as car batteries, old fridges, electrical appliances, used cars, kitchenware, metal rods, etc… It is located behind the metal moratorium and has a wide range of beneficiaries including organized gangs specializing in the theft of metal items.  According to the report, these locations also serve as a hideout for stolen goods including stolen electrical wires. The report details the different stages of this trade based on information gathered from connoisseurs according to whom, the most important skill is to be able to identify places that are likely to contain scrap metals and to spot these via several reconnaissance trips.  This is followed by either a simple theft of items or purchase.  Search for scrap metals covers rubbish bins, neighborhoods of car repair shops, near parking lots as well as in villages and towns that do not care much about scrap metal as well as in places where solid waste is abundant.  Items are identified, stolen and/or bought and them sorted into different kinds of metals and then sold to scarp marketplaces.  Sale prices are set according to weight as well as type of metal and its usage.  Transportation to Beirut and then to the port of export is handled by other professionals in the field.

The report outlined the problematic of organizing and controlling this business especially given the rise in the cost of metal and the increasing prominence of the concept and practice of recycling which increases the number of interested parties.  According to one of the traders in scrap metal, sellers are constantly subjected to pressure, pursuits and suspicions by the relevant authorities.  However, according to the same source, most people are unaware that reselling scrap metal is a well recognized trade in many countries where it is well organized and linked to recycling factories.  The source refutes the idea that all those involved in this trade are outlaws and notes that they play a role in safeguarding resources.  He adds that the trade should be organized and controlled by the law same as other trades in Lebanon.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal 17 April 2014

The World Bank noted that the formation of the new government is a positive development for the Lebanese economy.  The executive summary of the said report entitled “Recession in a highly volatile environment” which will be released during the month of April notes that Lebanon will face additional challenges in view of the unstable security situation as well as the impact of the on-going war in Syria which has negatively affected the trust of both consumers and investors.
According to the report, the Syrian crisis continues to affect growth which is expected to be less than Lebanon’s potentials on the short run.  The report expects a 1.5% growth this year assuming quick solutions are found to ensure political stability in Lebanon with the possibility of improvement, even if minor, in the security situation. The same report notes that one of the impacts of the Syrian crisis is in reducing income from investment and the degradation of the tourism sector which is considered to be a key pillar of the Lebanese economic growth as well as a source of employment.  The financial, health and educational sector are expected to face additional challenges with the continuous influx of refugees.  This, in addition to long term political stagnation, has had a negative impact on macro economy in Lebanon as the actual growth of GDP has not exceeded 0.9% in 2013 which is the worst performance since 1999.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 23 april 2014

The president of the  gathering of Lebanese Business Women, Leila Salhab, launched last week a project to create an environmental development council for Tripoli during a meeting she convened for in her private offices with the participation of Judge Nabil Sari, Engineer Majeda Sidawi, Fatmeh Badra the President of Lebanese Rehabilitation Welfare Association, Leila Dandashi, and Sleiman Sleiman`.  The purpose of this new initiative is to develop the capacities and resources of Tripoli as Ms. Salhab noted during the meeting.  She added that Tripoli is entitled to the concerted efforts of all working in civil society so as to draft a comprehensive environmental and development programme especially that the idea enjoys the full support of the Minister of Environment, Mohammed al Mashnouk.  She added that the Mohafez of North Lebanon. Nassif Kalushe, has welcomed the idea of the council and offered to host its headquartering at the Tripoli Serail.
Source: http://www.almustaqbal.com/v4/article.aspx?type=NP&ArticleID=613923">Al-Mustaqbal 22 April 2014

Patina’s organised last week an exhibition of women handicrafts in Beirut under the auspices of the president of the Future Women, Ms. Leila Fleifel el Turk, who attended the event and highlighted its importance in encouraging women gifted in making handicrafts in producing and in improving their livelihoods through enabling them to market their productions. The exhibition was open to the public for two days and included 40 different booths showcasing the hand made products for women including accessories, food, clothing, chocolates and painting.  Women who were able to sell their products expressed their gratitude to be able to partake in this event which allowed them to showcase their hand made goods as well as network with buyers.  This was particularly important for them since the women exhibitors do not have their own shops.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 22 April 2014

The Minister of Interior and Municipalities met last week with the Ambassador of the Philippines in Lebanon, Leah Ruiz, to discuss the situation of Filipino workers in Lebanon.  Following the meting, the Ambassador stated that the discussions dealt with the bilateral relations between the two countries and the relation of her embassy with the department of General Security in addition to ways of collaborating with the Ministry of Labor. The Ambassador thanked the Minister of Interior for the positive collaboration with the directorate general of General Security especially in dealing with the problems faced by workers in Lebanon and especially with regards to facilitating the crossing of Lebanese borders by those displaced from Syria whilst en route to the Beirut International Airport. Mashnouk highlighted for his part the importance of securing the best possible working conditions in Lebanon and he confirmed his commitment to making this possible.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 22 April 2014

The Minister of Economy and Trade, Alain Hakim, and the Italian Ambassador Giuseppe Morabito, officially inaugurated the preparatory activities of the Lebanese Pavilion at the 2014 Milano Internation Exhibition and that during a joint press conference held at the grand serial yesterday.  The Italian ambassador noted that the exhibit will carry the slogan of “Feeding the planet, energy for life” and will seek to address the issues of sufficient, safe and sustainable nutrition for humanity especially since one of eight people suffer from starvation whilst 12% of the total inhabitant of the planet suffer from obesity and 800 million persons do not have access to clean drinking water.  He added that Lebanon’s participation in this event is a key step towards outreaching to international exhibitions.  The Ambassador noted that the Mediterranean region makes up a large proportion of the event which takes place over more than 7330 square meters and host, in addition to Lebanon, 11 countries from Africa, Asia and Europe.

Minister Hakim noted that this exhibition is an important opportunity to familiarize the world with the richness of the Lebanese cuisine and healthy culinary habits in addition to the art de vivre which has placed Lebanon amongst the best ten cuisines worldwide.  This, according to the Minister, has attracted tourism to Lebanon and boosted its identity.  He added that this event provides a historical opportunity for Lebanese food industries to enter new European markets through the customs and logistics facilities which will be made available throughout the exhibition.

The Minister also announced that an action plan has been put in place with all stakeholders and including the following points:

• The Ministry of Economy and Trade will divide the period of the exhibition and which extends over six months into trade weeks that will focus on specific food sector including wine, olive oil and its bi-products and others.  As such, he called on the Syndicate of food industrialists to pool its efforts and collaborate with the Ministry to visibilise it participation and specify the activities it will implement during the event.
• Creating a committee consisting of the departments and private and public institutions to ensure a comprehensive Lebanese participation and make optimal use of available resources.
• Accompany the Lebanese participation in the 2015 exhibition with daily and weekly cultural and artistic events which would attract visitors to the Lebanese pavilion and prompt them to try and buy its products
• Organise monthly artistic events jointly with Lebanese artists to familiarize visitors with Lebanon’s culture
• Dedicate one national day during the exhibition to Lebanon
• Communicate universities and hotel management schools and make the pavilion available for its students so that they can exhibit their creative work and introduce visitors to Lebanese cuisine

Source: Al-Diyar, Al-Mustaqbal 16 April 2014

The issue of the commitment of the food industry to quality and safety standards remains in discussion especially following the waves created by the usage of Natamycin in some Labneh products.  The Minister of Industry, Hussein Hajj Hassan, had reiterated the importance of Labneh as a special Lebanese food product and confirmed that the aim of the state is to correct wrongs and not close any factory.  He noted that the role of the state is to monitor, control and regulate and not to denigrate as this is not suitable for the economy or the industry.  Hajj Hassan was speaking at a meeting convened yesterday to follow up the steps and actions taken to ensure safety and quality of food products.  The meeting was attended by the Director Generals of the Ministries of Industry, Agriculture, and Economy and Trade in addition to representatives of the Ministry of Public Health and the Centre of Industrial Research as well as supermarket owners and the Lebanese Dairy Council and dairy producers.
Hajj Hassan said that Labneh requires special care during the production cycle including packaging, warehousing and distribution in addition to the need for maintaining specific standards in the cold chain.  He highlighted that the role of the Ministry of Industry and of the Industrialists Union is confined to what enter and what leaves the factory/production unit.  Traders are responsible for maintaining the cold chain.  He asked that Industrialists show a clear reference on the cold temperature required on their product and so as to relieve themselves of responsibility related to warehousing by commercial institutions.
Source: Al-Safir 15 April 2014