The General Assembly of the largest Tobacco Producers in the World announced Lebanon as an official member during its meeting in the Spanish Capital, Madrid. The president of the Union of Syndicates of Tobacco Growers, Hassan Fakih, who represented his country, gave a documented intervention on the setbacks and challenges facing the tobacco industry Done,L. in Lebanon, while pointing to its importance to the domestic economy. Fakih said the meeting presents an opportunity for Lebanese participants to “benefit from the expertise and capacities of their counterparts and from methods to develop the cultivation of tobacco and maintain its economic and societal significance.” He stressed that "such events bolster the tobacco growing sector,” calling for continued coordination that could open new prospects for local farmers. (Al Mustaqbal, October 31, 2015)