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The National Codex Committee for Lebanon and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, concluded yesterday the implementation of the National Codex Alimentarius Structural Support Project under the patronage of Agriculture Minister Akram Chehayeb who was represented by his advisor, Anwar Daou, and with participation of a number of concerned figures. During the commemoration ceremony which took place in the Beirut suburb of Hadath, FAO Regional MENA Director, Fatmeh Hashem, highlighted the importance of the ongoing process of harmonising the local food criteria with the Codex standards. She stressed the need to work hard on protecting consumers and secure access to international markets of made-in-Lebanon food products, as well as to enhance the country’s role as a regional coordinator for the above Committee in the Near East. For his part, Daou noted that the “people have the right to safe and good quality foods,” adding that “food-borne diseases could be fatal sometimes and have a bad impact on national economy, and could also be detrimental to the reputation of the producing country, and therefore affect the tourism and trade industries. Finally, Daou emphasised that commitment to global market requirements has become a priority, thus referring to the country’s recent approval of the food safety law. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, December 30, 2015)

 

The Consul General, Antoine Akiki, announced during a ceremony held last Monday at Kfarzebian’s Town Hall in Kesrwan, the start of implementation of a new eco-friendly and culturally sensitive touristic initiative called "Janain al Shams". The new village compound will comprise 3 neighborhoods with 23 Lebanese traditional houses, a forest stretching over some 5 thousand square meters and a gigantic Christmas cave to promote religious tourism. The prime purpose of the USD5 million-worth project is to develop rural tourism in the area and to attract Lebanese emigrants back to their homeland and heritage, according to Akiki who added that construction works in the project are expected to begin early next spring. He also summarized the positive impact of the project as follows: create jobs in the construction and engineering sectors during the first phase, new jobs in the tourism industry after the opening, promote tourism in the area and stimulate the national economy. 

Al Diyar, December 30, 2015 

 

In cooperation with Afak Association-Rashya and West-Bekaa Development Center, the National Employment Office, NEO, distributed last week diplomas for some 20 graduates from the area who completed an intensive IT training course. The ceremony took place at Kamal Jumblat’s Socio-Cultural Center in Rashayya in the presence of the Health Minister, Wael Abu Faoor and Vice President of the Lebanese Development Forum, Wehbi Abu Faoor. The latter lauded the development objectives of Afaq as well as NEO’s efforts to improve the conditions of remote rural areas. For his part, Afaq head, Ahmad Thabet, stressed the importance of developing the professional and technical skills of the beneficiaries of the IT program. (Al Mustaqbal, December 29, 2015)

 

In his staunch efforts to develop the national industry, particularly at cross-sectoral and regional levels, the President of the Lebanese Industrialists Association, LIA, headed a meeting yesterday with representatives of the syndicate of Owners of Food Industries to discuss the current situation and ways for better cooperation with the food industry sector. LIA President, Fadi Gemayel, after his meeting with head of the Syndicate’s new board of directors, Ahmad Hoteyt, called for the preparation of a five-year vision for the food industry as well as a detailed plan to increase exports over the next three years. He stressed the sector’s high quality and international standards, as well as its authentic Lebanese flavor. Gemayel also urged food industrialists to redouble their efforts to access new markets and boost exports to Africa, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Iraq, Iran, China, Russia, and Britain. While encouraging food manufacturers to pursue the British BRC certification, he noted that globalization challenges and current limitations of the sector in Lebanon, particularly high costs of production, argue for better specialization in upgrading quality and up scaling exports. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, December 29, 2015)

 

As part of their joint commitment to provide an enabling environment for the establishment and development of startups and small and medium enterprises in Lebanon, Berytech and Berytech Fund participated on December 10 and 11 in the conference to this effect sponsored by the General Bank of Lebanon. Over 7000 visitors, including Lebanese men and women entrepreneurs, investors and supporting institutions partook in the event entitled ‘Stepping Up Businesses for the Year 2015’. Berytech and Berytech Fund organized many side activities that address the needs of entrepreneurs, starting from the concept of a business up to the development of the product and plans for funding and expansion. During the conference, Berytech Fund revealed its investments for the year 2015 which stood at a total of USD20 million. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Akhbar, December 25 and 28, 2015)

 

The Shuf Biosphere Reserve concluded yesterday the implementation of the EU-funded framework project aiming to promote socio-economic sustainable development through innovative technological actions so as to preserve Mediterranean tourism-heritage, HELAND, with a ceremony held at the National Library of Baaqline. Participants in the celebration highlighted the results of the project which was co-financed under the ENPI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme, and in partnership with Malta, Spain, Cyprus, Palestine and Jordan. The project in Lebanon is implemented by the Shuf Reserve, in collaboration with the Lebanese University-Faculty of Tourism. The latter’s pilot work covered the following heritage locations: The Shuf Cedar Reserve, Beaufort Castle and the Forest of Bkassine in the Jezzine. During the closing ceremony, the Shuf Reserve’s administrative coordinator, Samer Zubian, stressed the general aim of the project which was to protect natural and cultural heritage of participant countries through the application of modern and 3D technologies in geographic information systems. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, December 28, 2015)

 

The Minister of Industry, Hussein Haj Hassan, as chair of the Committee Supervising the Lebanese Industrial Research Achievements Program, LIRA, revealed last Tuesday the new mechanism for funding joint academy-industry research projects. Partaking in the event were the Committee’s two members and chief of the Industrialists’ Association Fadi Gemayeh, as well as the general director of the National Council for Scientific Research Muin Hamzeh. Theses projects will be jointly completed and submitted by the ten universities that are member of the programs and students of the schools of engineering and sciences, and should be of relevance to the Lebanese industry. Haj Hassan added that the agreed mechanisms will enable successful research projects to receive annual financial contributions. The projects shall have the edge in benefiting from the innovation funds launched recently with the support of the Central Bank of Lebanon and which target industries that support the knowledge-based economy.

Furthermore, Hajj Hassan clarified that the LIRA program is ready to fund graduation projects (bachelor degree) or higher education degrees, designed jointly between the university and one industrialist member of the Industrialists Association, with an amount to be determined each year in light of the budget, and with a minimum of three projects for each university member of LIRA program. The request for support should be submitted by both the university and the designated industrialist, provided that the implementation of the project includes an explicit agreement between the industrialist and the university that will include: 1) commitment by the industrialist to finance the balance of the project’s  cost, and extending the required supervision and technical expertise. 2) commitment by the university and the subject professor to carry out the project until its completion, and finally, 3) the project should be feasible and of additional value to the Lebanese industry. (An Nahar, December 23, 2015)

 

 

General Director of the state-run Regie company Nassif Siqlawi has revealed that 2015 business figures have reached nearly USD650 million while royalties stood at some USD495 million for the same year. Siqlawi, speaking during the annual gala dinner for the Regie Administration last Monday, announced the opening of what would be the most prominent tobacco factory in the Middle East as well as the launch of new cigarette brands to combat smuggling, pledging to open a new industrial production line in 2016. Siqlawi also declared that the company has implemented tens of vital local development projects as part of its strategy in support of local communities in the south, north and Beqaa areas, and in collaboration with relevant municipalities. “Total procurements of tobacco from the south and north regions are expected to reach this season some LBP95 billion,” he said, while forecasting that 2016 will be full with accomplishments despite the general difficult overall context. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, December 23, 2015)

 

The chief of the Beqaa Farmers Gathering, Ibrahim Tarshishi, denounced the decision of Syrian authorities to ban the entry of some 35 banana trucks describing the decision as a violation of the trade agreement by the neighboring state to import nearly 35 thousand tons of the Lebanese bananas. Tarshishi said he was surprised by the Syrian action at a time, “when Syrian goods, including vegetables and fruits flow into our markets contributing to the fall of prices of corresponding local goods”, as he claimed. He appealed to parties in both countries to intervene to resolve the problem, warning to escalate action and block roads in protest. For his part, Antoine Howayek, president of the Lebanese Farmers Association, outlined two reasons for the current slump in the marketing of citrus and banana, namely the closure of borders in Syria which resulted in the increase of cost of shipping. The second reason according to Howayek was the decision to prevent the setting up of independent agriculture chambers that will work to set up factories for processing the extra quantities of agricultural products. 

In respect to the current divergences over state’s support for the existing maritime exports, (see full news, http://bit.ly/1QHMDR6), IDAL head, Nabil Itani, dismissed criticisms  to the current export scheme saying that some interests within the trade sector are aiming to modify the existing arrangements. Itani went on to say that theses interests are spreading false information concerning the country origin of products exported by ferries, in order to shift back the maritime service to container ships that are owned by major trade-farmers. (Al Akhbar, December 19 and 22, 2015)

 

As part of ‘a project every week’ initiative, the Municipality of Ra7hbeh, Akkar, distributed last Saturday some 5 thousand seedlings of sour pomegranate used in the making of molasses and organized a seminar to promote this type of agriculture on which most  inhabitants of the northern town depend for their livelihoods, according to Mayor Jean Fayad pointed out. The head of the Hrar Agricultural Center, Taha Mostapha, for his part, drew attention to the high level of global demand for pomegranate and called for enhancing its quality and increasing its production. It should be noted that this was the first batch of seedlings to be distributed over a period of 5 years. In the same vein, Mada Association distributed another 5 thousand apple seedlings to some 100 farmers from Fnaydek, Old Akkar and Mishmish who themselves contributed nearly 28% of the price of one seedling. This activity came as part of an EU-funded rural development project aiming to improve the living standards of small farmers in Akkar highlands, in coordination with the government’s Hrar agricultural center.

Al Diyar, December 20, 2015