Other news

The President of the Syndicate of Hotel Owners in Lebanon, Pierre Ashkar announced after a meeting yesterday with the Minister of Tourism, Michel Pharaon that both parties discussed ways of cooperation and agreed on a common mechanism to implement it. Ashqar revealed that the delegation of the new Syndicate Board has asked the minister for certain exemptions and for reduction of air ticket prices, particularly for Jordanian airlines to compensate for the difficulties in land travel to the Arab country which emerged because of the war in Syria, adding that MP Tammam Salam and other concerned ministers are presently attending to this matter. Ashkar further pointed out to an agreed cooperation for establishing a data center that acts as a census for hospitality jobs, and uncovered a new mechanism of coordination with the Minister of Tourism. In conclusion, Ashkar pointed out to the drop in occupancy rates in the hotel industry, lamenting a serious crisis in the sector as a result of the political turmoil, and the rise of political tensions with Arab Gulf governments. (As Safir, Al Mustaqbal, February 24, 2016)

 

The president of the Chamber of Commerce for the North, Tufic Dabbussi, sponsored the distribution of checks to beneficiaries of the Syrian-Lebanese Partnership Support of the Small and Medium Enterprises Program in Tripoli, Zghorta al Zawiyya regions. Present at the ceremony, were the director general of the Business Incubation Association in Tripoli (BIAT) Fawaz H7amedi and the Coordinator of the Partnership Program, in addition to representatives of donor parties, including the Danish Refugee Council DRC and the Danish International Development Agency. On the occasion, Dabbussi stressed the “significance of strengthening ties between innovative Syrian and Lebanese talents amidst the present harsh circumstances prevailing in neighboring Syria which we hope will quickly come to an end,” as he said. Dabbussi also praised the constructive role of Danish funding organizations in offering continuous support for small and micro enterprises. It should be noted, that BIAT received some 128 applications, of which 42 were short-listed. The selected candidates underwent a 3-day training course that included orientation on how to prepare a feasibility study and on assessment of the viability of the submitted project. After being evaluated, nine projects were approved for funding on the basis of the defined standards and criteria. (An Nahar, Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, As Safir, February 22, 2016)

 

As Safir daily published yesterday a special feature on the industrial zone of Terbol in Zahleh, Bekaa which will soon be set up on a two million square meters stretch of land extending from Terbol to Kussayya at the foots of the Eastern Mountain Chains. The said special industrial zone is one of three zones, for which some 500 thousand euros of funds are required for the completion of necessary feasibility and technical studies. Furthermore, nearly 7 million euros are also needed in funding for the construction of the infrastructure for the three zones located in Baalbaq and Terbol in the Beqaa area and Joon in Mount Lebanon. Regarding the sources of funding, As Safir disclosed that under the heading of aid for Syrian refugees, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has pledged to secure the necessary funding to complete the studies and infrastructure work, while arguing that the establishment of such zones will ultimately provide hundreds of jobs for locals, as well as Syrian workers (!). Furthermore, UNIDO committed itself to complete the technical studies in approximately 6 months.

In the same vein, As Safir interviewed the mastermind of the Terbol zone, the head of the Committee for Industrial Cities at the Lebanese Industrialists Association, Michel Daher, who confirmed that the area which is only a few kilometers away from the land borders, is one of the largest industrial regions recently approved. The prime purpose of creating this industrial zone, Daher stressed, is to absorb young fresh graduates of the Central Beqaa area who struggle to find work within their country. He concluded by estimating that the special zone will create some 5 thousand new jobs, will also contribute to the development of the region and to the provision of additional revenues for local municipalities. (As Safir, February 22, 2016)

 

In coordination with BACTS company, the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Saida and the South organized last week a training session on hospitality techniques, aimed for workers in the restaurants, hotels and cafes sector. The workshop entitled ‘Basics and Rules of Guest Service in Restaurants, Cafes and Hotels’ was attended by the staff of the different touristic foundations and hotels operating in the area. On the occasion, chief of the Saida Chamber, Mohammad Hassan Saleh, underlined the importance of the workshop which completes a series of previous training courses on food, which focused on internationally standards and aimed at boosting the tourism industry in that part of the country, Saleh said. (Al Diyar, February 22, 2016)

 

In a feature published on February 20, An Nahar daily quoted figures of the Consumers Protection Association (CPA) which have shown a remarkable rise in prices of food products, particularly those of fruits and vegetables at the start of the Christian fasting season. According to CPA president, Zuheir Berro, the increase varied according to regions, pointing to a 30-40% difference in price levels within the Administrative Beirut area as compared to the capital’s suburbs, and even a greater difference compared with Tripoli which reached sometimes 200%. Meanwhile, the Technical Bureau of Prices released a report detailing the average prices of basic commodities of the small food basket covering some 60 items which has been sampled from 53 sale points across the Lebanese governorates. The sample was taken two weeks before and one week after the fasting period, between January 25 and February 8, 2016. Data indicated an increase by only 0.3% in the overall rate of the prices of the food basket, with a significant 7.5% increase in vegetables. (For a detailed list of prices, please visit: http://www.economy.gov.lb/public/uploads/files/7513_9803_1628.pdf). On the other hand, Dr. Ali Berro, head of the prices bureau, noted that the variation in figures is the result of differences in the certified basket of prices. He explained that the CPA’s adopts narrower basket which included fewer commodities which renders the comparison between the two baskets impossible. For his part, the director of the Consumers Protection, Engineer Tarek Younis, noted that the Ministry of Economy has not received any complaints about any extraordinary price increases, except for one food item, the watercress, which jumped as a result of the market supply and demand fluctuations during the fasting season. (An Nahar, February 20, 2016)

 

A close look at the food safety campaign launched by the Ministry of Public Health last year indicated, according to An Nahar issue of today, that Lebanon has made headways as 75% of Lebanese restaurants now meet the safety and health standards whilst the rest are in the process of doing so.  The newspaper interviewed the president of the syndicate of restaurants, Tony Rami, who noted that Lebanese restaurants can now compete with French restaurants in terms of health and cleanliness.  He referred to reports issued by the French Ministry of Agriculture which indicated that only one third of Parisian restaurants meet health and safety standards.  Rami also referred to information about a study implemented by his syndicate in collaboration with the GWR consulting group and for which the results will be released soon during a press conference.  The study confirms that products of 85% to 90% of restaurants are now safe and their kitchens meet international standards as a result of the food safety campaign and the awareness of the restaurant owners as well as the persistence of the Ministries of Tourism and Public Health to conduct  field visits to restaurants.  He added that these excellent results do not apply only to Category One restaurants but also to street food and cafes. (An Nahar, 19 February 2016)

 

The Minister of Labor Sajaan Azzi disclosed that the level of unemployment in Lebanon has risen from 11.3% before the Syria war to nearly 25% following the displacement of refugees. Azzi was speaking during the conference held last Monday in Paris entitled and entitled: ‘The Experience of Syrian Displacement to Lebanon and Jordan’ which was organized jointly by the World Bank, the French Agency for Development and the Center for Mediterranean Integration. Quoting World Bank figures, Azzi said the number of laid off Lebanese workers reached some 346 thousand persons as a result of the refugee crisis. He added that “Lebanon did not wait for the world community or for the recommendations of the London Conference of Donors to recruit Syrian nationals,” pointing out to the presence of “over half a million Syrian nationals working in the construction, agriculture, development and environment sectors. These, he said, are welcome as long as they meet the needs of the domestic labor market, but that the priority in employment will always be for Lebanese professionals. In conclusion, Azzi appealed to the United Nations to adopt a new approach in resolving the refugee crisis which transcends experts’ reports and studies to addressing the causes of displacement. He urged them to develop a plan for the return of Syrian refugees to their country. (Al Diyar, February 16, 2016)

 

In its issue of today, As Safir daily published a feature shedding light on the traditional silver craft industry that flourished in Rashayya Al Wadi during the rule of the Shehab dynasty and remained buoyant throughout the Ottoman rule. The newspaper said that young generations of notable families such as the Shatila, Rassi and Ayoob learned the craft from Turkish masters and acquired an extensive experience which they developed, expanded and for which they sought markets. As Safir pointed out that the golden age of the industry started to decline in the second half of the last Century where the number of workshops shrank to almost three as a result of fierce foreign competition. Noting that in the late nineteenth century, the number of active silver workshop topped 19 craft-shops employing some fifty skilled craftsmen.

As Safir spoke to the owner of one of the three remaining workshops, Issam Al Moket, who described Rashayya as “the ‘mother’ of silver and gold manufacturing industry not only in Lebanon and Syria, but also in Canada and some European countries” where many Lebanese emigrants live. Al Moket underscored the distinctive features, accuracy and exquisiteness of the special silver products of Rashayya, while criticizing the fierce competition from products imported from Iran, Italy and Turkey. He lamented that these products were being dumped in the local markets and “are being sold at low prices because they are not handmade and do not cost much compared to traditional crafting”. He finally called for legislations that will protect domestic industries. (As Safir, February 18, 2016)

 

The Lebanon Economic Report released by Audi Bank for the last quarter of 2015 indicated a significant slowdown in domestic economy as a result of the unfavorable security and political situations in the country and the region. According to the said report, economic sectors witnessed one of the toughest years for more than a decade, with all indexes recording either a shrink or a sluggish growth. According to the report, local demand was weak, private and public investments were low, while external demand declined. This overall sluggishness of the economy is reflected by the economic indicators which have recorded net reduction in the following sectors: exports (-10.9%), imports (-11.8%), and real estate activity (-10.6%). According to the same report, the deficit in the balance of payments widened during last year, increasing to USD3.3 billion from USD 1.4 billion in 2014 and thus touching a new record.

As for general finance, data indicated and increase of deficit by nearly 17.4% which came as the result of general reduction (8.6%) in public revenues concurrent with a decline (by 2.9%) in public spending. For its part, the ratio of public debt to GDP recorded 130% at the end of November 2015 compared to 133% at the end of 2014. The report also noted that in the context of shrinking external financial inflow, bank deposits recorded a modest growth of USD 7.2 billion in 2015 against USD 8.2 billion in 2014. Finally, and according to a number of economic analysts at Audi Bank, real GDP is expected to grow by a mere 2 % during 2016. (L’Orient Le Jour, February 13, 2016)