Demands to re-open Qoleiat airport in the North to create new jobs

Local and civil community organisations in the North are relentless in their demands to restore work at Qoleiat Airport. In this respect, the president of the Federation of Municipalities of the Center and Coast of Qaita’ Province, Ahmad Meer, said yesterday that the Akkari community is united in its call to reopen the René Moawwad Airport in the northern town of Qoleiat, describing it as a strategic and vital facility. Meer appealed to the president of the republic, the prime minister and house speaker to give the green light for rehabilitation and reparation works. He considered the undertaking as a priority for the development and advancement of the area, particularly that it can promote multiple economic, agricultural, industrial and touristic prospects. Meer stressed the importance of the airport as an “economic gateway for the marketing of domestic agricultural products and the facilitation of air traffic to various world destinations.” Restoring operations to Qoleiat Airport, Meer stated, shall generate thousands of jobs for local residents, reduce the migration of youth and increase their steadfastness to their land. In a related incident, and in cooperation with committees in charge of following up the matter, the civil society of Akkar met on January 20 at the Municipality Hall of Halba with the theme ‘From Martyr President Rene Muawad Airport to the Martyr PM Rafic Hariri Airport’. During the meeting, a national and popular follow-up and mobilization campaign was launched to pressure involved authorities towards reactivating civil aviation at Qulaiat Airport. Participants asked the government to endorse a restoration workshop in preparation for reopening the facility, with the contribution of all the neighboring municipalities in terms of repair of infrastructure of roads leading to it. (Al Diyar, January 21 and February 7, 2017)

 

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