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Lebanon starts the process of accession to the Silk Road Chinese initiative

2-8-2017

The Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon, Wang Kijian, announced last week that Lebanon will start procedures of accession to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Kijian who was speaking during a reception at the Phoenicia Hotel in honor of the Lebanese who completed training sessions in China, said there is great potential and broad prospects for Chinese-Lebanese cooperation as part of the Silk Road initiative. Human resources, Kijian noted has become a key pillar in bilateral partnership. Over 900 Lebanese experts from the disciplines of economics, politics, culture and the military, participated in the training courses in China since 2011, Kijian said. Besides the short-term or bilateral workshops, the Chinese government also offers diploma programs, Kijian said, noting that the Chinese universities providing such courses are highly-competitive boasting the best professors. Kijian predicted the number of beneficiaries from Lebanon to reach 170 participants in 2017, in addition to 4 specialized bilateral courses in economic development, trade and investment, food safety testing, oil and gas exploration and other fields. (Al Mustaqbal, July 27, 2017)

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Will Lebanon succeed in joining the new world silk road?
Tripoli Economic Zone awaits funding, port getting ready for Syria reconstruction
 

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Regression of Lebanese industrial exports triggers renewed calls for protectionism

2-8-2017

A report prepared by the industry ministry has shown a 6.7% decline in Lebanese industrial exports during the first four months of 2017, dropping to USD 806.9 million against USD 865 million during the same period of 2016 and USD 967.4 million (by 16.6%) in 2015. According to the report, chemical industries topped the list of exports in April of this year, standing at USD 45.7 million, followed by agro-food industries (USD 44 million) and electric equipment (USD 36.1 million). Arab countries were the main market destination for made-in-Lebanon goods during April, with exports reaching USD 108.6 million (accounting for nearly 51.6% of the total industrial exports), the report indicated. Europe came second (about 15.9%), followed by the non-Arab African countries (11.3%) and countries of Americas (10.3%). An Nahar newspaper mentioned that the president of the Lebanese Industrialists Association (LIA), Fadi Gemayel, had proposed earlier in May a set of measures to protect specific products against illegal competition from foreign goods. But despite the fact that some of these industries do not directly affect disadvantaged communities, An Nahar cautioned that, yet certain items, food in particular, (burghul, sugar, pasta, cheeses, milk, biscuits, flour, cornflakes and chicken), may be drastically effected in the event of price hikes. For its part, LIA argued that the protective procedures will definitely lead to lower prices in the local market as a result of increased productivity of factories and lower production costs. (An Nahr, Al Mustaqbal, August 2, 2017)

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Lebanese exports fall by 30% because of trouble in exporting to Syria
Ministerial strategy for industrial development
Foreign ministry to review bilateral trade agreements, LIA cheers
Lebanon may resort to trade barriers to safeguard its industry from external dumping
 

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100 vacancies available for Lebanese nationals in Qatar

2-8-2017

The leading job site in the Middle East, Bayt.com, disclosed that more than 100 new vacancies will be announced within the next few months from the London-based Harvey Nichols department store planning to open in the Qatari capital in September. The luxury store is on the lookout for talented personnel from Lebanon to help them kick off their careers. Bayt.com pointed out that all the jobs will be posted on their portal, and they include sales, beauty consultants, warehouse attendants, visual merchandisers, personal shoppers and others. Job hunters can explore and apply for any of these vacancies on Bayt.com anytime and for free. On the subject, the Vice President of Employer Solutions at Bayt.com, Suheil Masri, described the partnership as exciting, noting that the portal continuously seeks to assist job seekers to find the unique career opportunities that match their potentials and expertise. “We are proud to work with Harvey Nichols Doha to help them find the perfect employees on our job site, as well as, to introduce additional career prospects to our registered job seekers in Lebanon,” Masri said. (Al Mustaqbal, August 2, 2017)

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Festival in Aqura to promote tourism and to preserve traditional apple growing

1-8-2017

The people of Aqura celebrated last Saturday the first of its kind fun and recreational ‘apple festival’ aimed at encouraging farmers to keep up this traditional agriculture and promoting tourism in the area, according to festivity organizer, Alaa Hashem. Apple growing, Hashem lamented, has survived successive crises, namely in marketing due to the closure of borders with Syria and as a result of fierce foreign competition. On the occasion, agriculture engineer, Ghassan Feghali, pointed out that Lebanese apples are banned in some GCC states for failing to comply with standards set by these states, namely Dubai. Additionally, domestic apples in the local market face competition from imported produce, Feghali added.One of the main goals of the apple festival, he stressed, is inspiring Aqoura apple growers to cultivate enhanced varieties of the fruit. Similarly, the director of the festival, Nidal Hashem, said the event seeks to give hope to farmers especially that the price of one Kg of apples has dropped from LBP 1500 to LBP 300 in two years. (L’Orient Le Jour, August 1, 2017)

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Building capacity of municipalities and youth in the South and Beqaa

31-7-2017

In collaboration with Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) and the Federation of Arkoub Municipalities, Tamaddon association organized a workshop entitled ‘Muncipal capacity building and conflict management’ in Ibl al Saqi, Marje3yoon. On the occasion, FNF head, Dirk Kunze, outlined the foundation’s concerted efforts aimed at providing know-how in capacity building and conflict management skills to uplift the development work and service provision of municipalities. Similarly, Ayman Trad, from the ministry of displacement affairs, said the region is in need of a comprehensive development plan in order to eradicate deprivation and marginalization. “The policy of mending is no longer useful and there is a pressing need to end injustice at all levels of infrastructure, including sewerage, drinking water as well as, schools and hospitals,” Trade said. In a parallel line, the Social Cultural Association in Beqaa, in cooperation with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, held last Friday a workshop on the ‘capacity building of youth’ which saw the participation of over 30 young people from the North Beqaa (Arsal and Baalbak), the Center and West Beqaa and from Rashaya. The course covered the following topics: the art of leadership, conflict resolution, sustainable human development, with focus on the environmental part, advocacy, networking and mobilization. (Al Mustaqbal, July 30 and 31, 2017)

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New project to promote youth vocational training in Lebanon

31-7-2017

The International Labor Organization (ILO) and UNICEF embarked jointly on an initiative to improve technical and vocational education and training (TVET) for youth in Lebanon in line with labor market needs. The project will carry out labor market assessments on the community and national level, and will implement competency-based training programs adjusted to meet labor market demands. The ultimate beneficiaries of above project are low-skilled youth representing the majority of job hunters in the country. ILO’s Regional Director for Arab States, Rana Jaradat, pointed out that the undertaking is the “result of close collaboration between two sister UN agencies and a common desire to create decent work opportunities for the young generation.” This partnership, Jaradat said, will address a number of challenges to the local labor market, including the provision of better understanding of the market’s dynamics and a skilled workforce that responds to the market requirements, as well as, career guidance and counseling services. For her part, UNICEF representative in Lebanon, Tanya Chapuisat, underlined the UN organization’s keenness to invest its financial and technical resources in the project aimed to reform the formal and non-formal technical and vocational education and training sector. It will also play an important role in increasing the employability of job-seeking youth and guarantees their fair and smooth transition to career life. (Al Mustaqbal, July 30, 2017)

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Planet Lebanon 2017: A bridge with the Diaspora and investors

27-7-2017

The chair of the Lebanese International Business Council (LIBC), Nassib Fawaz, announced the launch of Planet Lebanon 2017 on August 3 and 4 at Phoenicia Hotel, Beirut, under the patronage of PM Saad Hariri. LICB is anticipating an exceptional event given the outstanding preparations in terms of size of participating Lebanese emigrants from across the world, Fawaz stated. He outlined the objectives of the conference, which include, strengthening ties and building bridges between Lebanese businessmen/businesswomen abroad; highlighting the reality of investment in Lebanon within the larger global investment situation, and finally, bolstering Lebanon’s economic, tourism and commercial status. Fawaz said he hoped the present government will work to improve the business and investment environment in line with an innovative strategy committed to streamlining and increasing the efficiency of investment procedures, in addition to, easing bureaucratic hindrances and relieving the business climate. The conference, LIBC head maintained, aims to make stronger connections with the Lebanese Diaspora who profoundly seek to contribute to the development of their homeland. “We are all aware of the value of remittances to Lebanon and the significant role of money transfers from abroad in sustaining social stability and securing decent living standards for large segments of the Lebanese people,” Fawaz said. (Al Mustaqbal, July 27, 2017)

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Further delays in settlement of compensation for apple farmers

27-7-2017

Following the protest actions on June 15 by apple farmers across Lebanon to step up the payment of the second instalment of compensation, the president of the Lebanese Farmers Association, Antoine Howayek, criticized the handling of the issue by the government. The decision to settling the next payment was already approved, Howayek said, voicing concern over the delay. The previous cabinet of Premier Tamam Salam has agreed last October to pay a sum of LBP 40 billion to grieved farmers, only half (LBP 20 billion) of which has been disbursed,  Howayek told Al Mustaqbal newspaper. The farmers’ president pointed out that the crisis has become worrying, disclosing that agricultural associations have expediently accepted solutions that were short of their expectation only to lift the distress on farmers, and overlooked suspicious statistics and questionable method of payment that were kept from involved agricultural syndicates. Howayek presented some proposals to salvage the situation, chiefly: setting up agricultural chambers to assist farmers in the event of disasters; buy cold storage equipment for underprivileged farmers who cannot afford the cost of packing and warehousing. He also suggested that the government procure vessels at not more than USD 15 million to alleviate costs of export incurred on apple growers, pledging to raise voice of protests to achieve set solutions.(Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, An Nahar, July 25, 27, 2017)

 

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Apple farmers back to the streets because of the glut in production
Apple farmers describe relief compensations as ‘humiliating”
Apple farmers protest shrinking compensation

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Weekly farmers market in Jbeil

26-7-2017

The Byblos Roman Road association opened last Saturday a weekly market for traditional agricultural and artisan products in the courtyard adjacent to St John Mark Church facing the wax museum in the Old City of Jbeil. The market will open every Saturday attracting farmers from the different towns and villages of Jbeil, Kesrouan and Matn regions. The market allows producers and craftspeople to sell their goods in the heart of the coastal city. Customers can also benefit from fresh organic and water planted veggies and fruits, in addition to spices, traditional mouneh items and craftwork. To note, the above association provides the tents and tables for the farmers’ booths, as well as a permanent showroom in the UNESCO piazza at Jbeil’s Old Market. (Al Mustaqbal, July 26, 2017)

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Can liberal policies still save the Lebanese economy?

25-7-2017

In spite of some recent declarations on a the need for new economic orientations, the classical liberal approach to economic issues remain dominant in the mainstream political discourses. In this regard, the minister of communications, Jamal Jarrah, disclosed that the Saad Hariri-led government has pledged to develop the national economy and that preparations are underway to create an investment-friendly environment in the country. Jarrah was speaking during the opening of Endeavorize Lebanon entrepreneurship forum in Beirut organized by leading high impact global entrepreneurship movement, ‘Endeavor’. Jarrah stressed that his ministry is seeking to improve and boost the services of the infrastructure, pointing that economic growth is not possible outside a substantial network of communications and internet. He emphasized the vitality of partnership between the private and public sectors, hoping it will be adopted in the near future to help the private sector increase its opportunities of growth. For his part, the president of the Gathering of Lebanese Businessmen and Businesswomen (RDCL World), Fouad Zamakhal, addressed yesterday a group of 200-300 young Lebanese expatriates from the World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU) during a visit to the Parliament organized by RDCL. “I cannot promise that we can quickly underpin the Lebanon we dream of, but I can assure and promise you that the Lebanese private sector worldwide will continue with its efforts to preserve our national economy projected to prosper and flourish around the world, thanks to your support,” Zamakhal said. He emphasized the need to use what he termed as the “productive and competent migration” in order to invest in the homeland. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, July 25, 2017)

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