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Boosting youth entrepreneurship in Tripoli, Ghobeiri

17-4-2019

On April 1st, the Municipality of Ghobeiry launched from the Lebanese University of Arts and Sciences its entrepreneurship program to support university students’ innovative projects within the municipality’s scope of activities. This involves provision of resources, and advisory and training services, with the aim to translate these into feasible products, according to head of the program, Rami Tawil. For his part, Ghobeiri mayor, Maan Khalil, stressed the importance of the above program in offering expertise to students to use later on in their career journey. On the other hand, the president of the Nouhud Association for Studies and Empowerment, former minister Rashid Derbas, opened on April 15 a training course in Tripoli on ‘Methods of training and applied training in entrepreneurship and SMEs’. Around 40 participants including free professionals, university professors, fresh graduates and higher education students, took part in the 10-day workshop organized in collaboration with the Arab Planning Institute in Kuwait and the Chamber of Tripoli and the North. (Al Diyar, Al Akhbar, April 16, 2019)

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Tourism ministry promoting Lebanon

16-4-2019

The minister of tourism Avedis Guidanian revealed his first ever ministry’s plan for the professional promotion of tourism in the country and for transforming the sector into a combined private and public industry to this end. Guidanian elucidated the pillars of the strategy as follows: 1) attracting tourists from Arab and GCC countries and Europe and opening new outlets, like China, Russia and India, 2) strengthening internal tourism that is based on promoting Lebanese villages via the ministry’s social media platforms, in addition to organizing media tours to new towns and integrating them into its programs, 3) setting up so-called ‘tourism promotion authority’ to boost cooperation between the private and public sector in this regard. The authority will reportedly include the minister of tourism, Middle East Airlines (MEA), Casino du Liban and tourism involved syndicates, and 4) upgrading and enhancing tourism related legislations to facilitate the transactions and work of investors. On the other hand, the head of the Parliamentary Committee on Woman and Child, MP Inaya Ezzedeen, and the ministry of tourism, in coordination with the municipality of Tyre, held yesterday a training session on food safety in the tourism establishments in the southern city. On the occasion, Ezzedeen stressed that food safety is closely related to environmental conditions on the ground, pointing out that it constitutes a prop to active tourism and therefore, is a joint concern for a number of public department, like the ministries of health, agriculture, economy, industry and tourism. (Al Diyar, April 16, 2019)

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Syria gives Lebanese products first priority

15-4-2019

Following the Syrian decision to cut transit tariffs on Lebanese trucks, Al Diyar daily revealed that the Syrian prime minister, Imad Khamis, confirmed to the Lebanese agriculture minister Hassan Lakiss that his country will give priority to made-in-Lebanon goods. During the minister’s visit to Damascus, Al Diyar wrote, it was agreed to set a date for Lebanon to start exporting potatoes to neighboring Syria, noting that it is the first time Damascus will import the Lebanese produce for domestic consumption and not for transit to other countries. Citing a political source in the March 8 Bloc, the newspaper said the visit by Lakiss, who was accompanied by a delegation of 21 ministry officials, came at a prior knowledge of the Lebanese premier Saad Hariri. The factions opposing normal relations with Syria, the newspaper went on to say, have reached a conviction that persisting in the boycott brings more losses on Lebanon in the industrial, agricultural and commerce areas. In this respect, Lakiss visited on the 13th of this month the Melkite Greek Archbishop of Forzol, Zahleh and Beqaa, Issam John Darwish, and discussed with him the results of his visit to the Syrian capital to facilitate export of Lebanese goods to Syria and from there on via transit through the Nassib Crossing to Joran, Iraq and GCC states and to reduce tariffs. This, Lakiss explained, will help Lebanese farmers dispose of and market their produce. In a related development, former minister Nicolas Tweini, said on April 11 that the re-opened Tanaf Crossing between Syria and Iraq is an important outlet for Lebanese exports and the closest to the Lebanese borders via Damascus, Adra and Tadmor up to the Iraqi borders. The crossing, Lakiss maintained, is good news to the various Lebanese industries and agricultural products, as the Iraqi market is huge and represents a good opportunity to export at least USD 1 billion a year. (Al Diyar, April 13, 14, 2019)

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2019 Rafik Hariri University Job Fair

15-4-2019

The Rafik Hariri University (RHU) organized on April 12 its 2nd Job Fair 2019 on its Mishrif Campus. Around 20 Lebanese firms in the various disciplines participated in this annual event, including banking, engineering, marketing and advertising, graphic design, computer programming, in addition to non-government organizations. The exhibition is an opportunity for fresh graduates and students to explore employment prospects and connect and network with representatives of exhibiting companies. According to a statement by RHU, the job fair is part of the career services extended by the university that allow students to learn about the labor market requirements and clarifying the link between the university and work life. It is the duty of each higher academic institution in the country to offer its students with the best services and prepare them for a rapid integration into post-graduate work areas, the statement added. (Al Mustaqbal, April 13, 2019)

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Lebanon welcomes Syrian decision to reduce transit fees

11-4-2019

In response to the decision by Syrian prime minister, Imad Khamis, to cut down transit tariffs on Lebanese trucks entering Syrian territory (https://bit.ly/2DaoLE3), the President of the Lebanese Industrialists Association, LIA, Fadi Gemayel, said it is an important step for Lebanese land export activity. LIA welcomes this reduction which facilitates the entry of industrial goods via Syria and speeds up their arrival to desired destinations compared to the time and cost of maritime shipping, Gemayel told Lebanon Files. Gemayel voiced hope that the initiative will be implemented soon and be followed by similar actions by Arab and GCC states. Likewise, the chief of the Bekaa Farmers Association, Ibrahim Tarshishi, said he hopes things will return to the time before the closure of Nassib Crossing in 2015. Then, the transit tariff barely exceeded USD 180 on the truck, but in October 2018 when the crossing was reopened, fees rocketed to USD 800, causing a drastic decline in land export, Tarshishi added. The reduction of transit tariffs on Lebanese trucks, he explained, could reduce the bill on producers, exporters and farmers. It can also increase the size of exported products to Arab markets, notably Syrian markets, given that Syria comes second after Saudi Arabia in the import of made-in-Lebanon agricultural goods. For his part, the vice president of the General Labor Confederation, Hassan Faqih, said the visit to Syria of agriculture minister Hassan Lakiss, has completely broken the unjustified boycott which was detrimental to Lebanon’s interests and the interest of sister nations in general. The Syrian decision is another proof that the fastest way to resolve our industrial and agricultural crises is through direct visits and relations between the two countries at various levels. (Al Diyar, April 11, 2019)

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Syria cuts transit fees on Lebanese trucks

10-4-2019

The Syrian prime minister Imad Khamis issued yesterday a decision to cut down transit tariffs on Lebanese trucks entering Syrian territory. This follows a meeting with Lebanese agriculture minister, Hassan Lakis, which discussed cooperation between the neighboring states in agriculture, commerce, investment and reconstruction matters. Khamis underlined the importance of expanding agricultural coordination to cover various areas and the revision of previous agreements. In addition to the signing of new arrangements and consolidating collaboration in the transit transport and the marketing of agricultural products, and the facilitation of passage of products via border crossings. Lakis, who also attended the meeting of the joint agricultural committee, pointed out that his Syrian counterpart, Ahmad Qaderi, was responsive and it was agreed to develop relations in the interest of both countries and in the interest of farmers, traders and national economy. Meanwhile, Lebanese parliamentary tourism and agriculture committee convened yesterday under MP Ayub Hmayyid to study the draft bill submitted by MP George Okeis aimed to enforce stricter procedures to curb smuggling activity and intensify punitive measures and fines to protect the Lebanese farmer and producer. Noting, that said committee has sent invitations to the finance ministry and the General Customs but who did not attend the meeting. On the other hand, the ministry of industry issued yesterday a circular suspending production in the dairy factory Jano in the West Beqaa town of Ghaza, pending the release of a license at the industry department and improving production standards according to food safety specifications. (Al Diyar, April 10, 2019)

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Food truck park brings life to Saida and its environs

9-4-2019

Saida hosted on April 6 and 7 the Food Truck Park organized by Samco Management S.A.L owner of the project, which took place at the Mirjan roundabout. About 23 food trucks of different sizes participated in the project which stretches on a 4300 square meters’ area, offering an assortment of delicacies appeasing various tastes at affordable prices. The event also included a safe recreational space for families and children and a special area equipped for people of special needs, Noting, that the activity, launched under the patronage of Future MP Bahia Hariri, has attracted scores of residents of the southern capital and environs. The project’s general director, Mahmud Bakhur, said Saida today restates its role as the capital of the South. He recalled how the idea came to his mind and its vivacity from the tourism, economic and development aspects. Hariri for her part, stressed the importance of the venture as a vital touristic facility and a life breath to its people and visitors. (Al Mustaqbal, April 9, 2019)

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LCU annual Career Fair 2019

8-4-2019

The Lebanese Canadian University (LCU)- Aintura inaugurated on Friday its annual career fair 2019 which has become a regular platform for employers to meet young graduates. More than 30 companies and establishments participated in the event, in addition to an outstanding presence of the public sector in an attempt to encourage students to enter security and Army ranks. On the occasion, LCU president, Dr Roni Abi Nakhleh, said that the Lebanese youth is currently passing through difficult times. Fresh graduates who worked hard during college years to build a social and professional future eventually discover that employment opportunities are limited in the country, Abi Nakhleh maintained. Yet despite all this, “We, at LCU, seek to remain a glimpse of hope for our students and young generation of men and women,” he said. Abi Nakhleh also stressed that the career fair has become a yearly space for students to learn hands on about the public and private sector prospects and invest what they learned to meet the labor market requirements. (Al Diyar, April 8, 2019)

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Horeca 2019 closes with high expectations

8-4-2019

The 26th edition of the hospitality and food services Horeca Lebanon closed on April 5 after hosting more than 70 local and international food specialists in over 20 sideline competitions and workshops. Recalling, the expo which attracted some 15,000 local, regional and international guests, showcased more than 500 brands from 350 exhibitors and hosted a number of events, namely the annual hospitality forum. The latter gathered a number of notable speakers who addressed current topics of concern to the industry. The director general of Hospitality Services, the event organizer, Jumana Damus Salameh, boasted that this year’s edition was the biggest to date since the launch of the expo. She said that despite the difficult economic conditions in the region, the number of showgoers was remarkable, reflecting a trust in Horeca and inspiring it to maintain its status as a prominent commercial occasion in the area. (An Nahar, April 6, 2019)

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Horeca 2019 Hospitality Expo kicks off

4-4-2019

Hospitality Services launched on April 2nd the 26th edition of Horeca Lebanon, the largest exhibition for hospitality and food services at Beirut Seaside Arena with the theme, ‘for a better sector’. The 4-day event was held under the patronage of tourism minister Avedis Guidanian and with the presence of heads of unions, associations and dignitaries in the industry. The managing director of Hospitality Services, event organizer, Jumana Damus Salameh, revealed that the expo is expected to attract over 18,000 food experts and more than 300 local and international exhibitors namely from Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Poland, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, UAE and the US. It will provide showgoers the opportunity to explore end line products and services of more than 2,500 brands, according to Salameh, who boasted, “We are celebrating our biggest edition to date this year.” For his part, Guidanian said Horeca has become a landmark for tourism in the country, pointing to a determination to revive the sector to be a boost for the national economy, and anticipating a promising summer season full of tourists. (Al Diyar, April 3, 2019)

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