http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060816/capt.873153f2c57647afb663952cf6fca3fb.lebanon_israel_mideast_ceasefire_akcf106.jpg?x=380&y=246&sig=dnARlRLorkbb.5MSPI.RKA--http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20060815/capt.sge.etf95.150806184340.photo02.photo.default-512x340.jpg?x=380&y=252&sig=ZQ9VTPIxuVJWkbQfwi.poA--


CDR boss says reconstruction can start as soon as war ends

Some funds are already on the way to finance recovery

By Osama Habib
Daily Star staff

Friday, August 04, 2006

BEIRUT: The vast destruction of infrastructure and properties caused by the Israeli strikes on Lebanon will be countered by a massive building effort immediately following the cessation of hostilities, a top development official said Thursday. The initial cost of the destruction was estimated by Fadel Shalak, chairman of the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR), at more than $2.5 billion.

"This war has ruined everything the previous governments built over the past few years," Shalak told The Daily Star. "But what is certain is that the rebuilding of these areas will kick off immediately once a real cease-fire is declared."

Shalak said that funding for reconstruction would not be a problem for Lebanon because some Arab states such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have already pledged over a $1 billion toward the purpose.

Shalak said Lebanese contractors will be very busy in the next three years and these projects will help revive their sector.

"In addition, the CDR has billions of dollars in soft loans for this purpose," Shalak said. "We hope that reconstruction will trigger some growth in the coming years."

Lebanese economists echoed similar views.

"Rebuilding the devastated infrastructure in Lebanon will help achieve economic growth in the medium- and long-terms and give a shot in the arm of the contracting sector," economist Marwan Iskandar said.

But Iskandar ruled out any major rebuilding this year, even if a cease-fire were declared within a few days.

"It will take several months to clear the rubble in different areas and this means that the GDP will be on the negative side," Iskandar said.

Dozens of villages and towns in the South alone were flattened to the ground due to the intense bombardment from the air, sea and land.

In addition bridges, roads and public installations have been targeted by Israeli jets in the North and the Bekaa Valley.

But experts say that Beirut's southern suburbs, home for 500,000 mostly Shiite residents, bore the brunt of the Israeli attacks, leaving most parts of this area in total ruin.

"We are talking about building a new city in this area alone. But no one knows for sure how will this city look," Shalak said.

One contractor wondered who would finance the rebuilding of the suburbs and whether Hizbullah's leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, would raise money for this purpose.

Shalak pledged to issue a report on the total damages once a week until the crisis ends.

He said reconstruction efforts would take two years to complete if all political, financial and technical requirements were met.

The CDR report estimated the transport sector damages at $386 million.

The cost of damage to bridges amounted to $262 million, with some bridges completely destroyed.

As to main roads, the cost exceeded $70 million, with the international highways sustaining heavy damage.

In addition, the damage to the electricity sector was estimated at some $180 million, with $80 million from the destruction of production and fuel-storage sites.

The cost of damage to industrial sectors is seen as more than $150 million and industrialists say more than 40 plants have been raided by the Israelis.

"The construction work will not add to the infrastructure capital because what we are doing is building what has been destroyed and not building new structures," Iskander said.

He added that construction will help create more jobs.

"Carpenters, painters, glass makers and manufacturers will be kept very busy once the reconstruction starts," he said.

But Iskandar said that the government wants to see a positive political signs from all sides before commencing with the projects.

Many investors made it clear that no money would be spent in Lebanon if the country's Southern border with Israel remains tense.

Copyright (c) 2006 The Daily Star

Global donors to tackle Lebanon reconstruction

Mark Oliver
Tuesday August 15, 2006
Guardian Unlimited


The huge task of rebuilding Lebanon's shattered infrastructure will be discussed by 60 countries attending a donors' conference in Sweden at the end of this month.

Britain, the US, France, Germany, Norway, Japan and representatives from Arab nations are among those invited to the conference on August 31 in Stockholm, it emerged today.

The international development secretary, Hilary Benn, who is visiting Beirut, today announced a further £6m of British money for immediate emergency relief, taking the current UK aid contribution to £12.5m. The UK's contribution to longer term reconstruction has yet to be decided.

Ian Bray, a spokesman for Oxfam, said Lebanon needed different phases of help after a month of Israeli bombardment. "First there is the necessity of getting immediate aid into the country, and to do this there has to be some immediate rebuilding of some infrastructure, such as bridges and roads.

The fragile truce was holding for a second day today and aid agencies were trying to use the improved security situation to step up their operations.

One priority was to restore basic services such as safe water and electricity to areas where these had been disrupted. Oxfam has been focusing on distributing water and sanitation equipment.

Another important area was to help the safe return of around 1 million people displaced by the conflict, who are now slowly returning to the south of the country, many of them to destroyed homes. The UN said the lull in fighting had prompted the return of some 50,000 people.

Estimates on the number of homes destroyed vary. The Lebanese government puts the figure at around 15,000, while the Israeli military has said it hit some 7,000 targets in Lebanon during its offensive.

The long-term reconstruction is expected to cost billions of pounds. The latest figures from the Lebanese government claimed reconstruction costs and losses of earnings could amount to $10bn (£5bn).

The economic disaster comes just as Lebanon was getting back on its feet after spending more than a decade rebuilding after the 1975-91 civil war.

Hundreds of farms and businesses, including around 50 major factories, were hit during the Israeli air offensive. The Lebanese government said around 25 petrol stations were also damaged.

It is feared many businesses do not have significant insurance. Adnan Kassar, the president of the Lebanese Economic Organisation, told the Financial Times earlier this month that Israel had appeared to be deliberately targeting businesses. Some Lebanese believe the plan was to damage the economy in a bid to put pressure on the government to neutralise Hizbullah. "They want to destroy everything - even pickup trucks loaded with potatoes or watermelons," Mr Kassar told the FT.

The Swedish aid minister, Carin Jamtin, said yesterday that donors at the Stockholm conference would discuss how to rebuild ports, bridges and roads wrecked by Israel's offensive, which was prompted by the kidnapping of two Israeli troops.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Ms Jamtin declined to name a figure on how much reconstruction money was needed from donors, saying that was up to Lebanon to determine.

"The world community now has to give its support to Lebanon's recovery and to the Lebanese people who have been severely affected," said Sweden's foreign minister, Jan Eliasson.

The Israeli bombing of a power station south of Beirut had also caused an environmental disaster, with up to 15,000 tonnes of heavy fuel spilled on Lebanon's coast.

The month of fighting killed more than 900 people, devastated much of south Lebanon and forced hundreds of thousands of Israelis into bomb shelters away from Hizbullah rocket attacks.

Aid workers have been slowed down by the fact that Israeli warplanes destroyed all of the bridges on the Litani river. Navigating bombed roads, some of them clogged with traffic, had been painfully slow for aid agencies: UN officials said recently that it took 24 UN trucks more than five hours to make a journey that normally takes 45 minutes.

Lebanon had been expecting its best tourism season for more than 30 years, exports were up 100% on the previous year and the economy had been expected to grow by 5%. The post-bombing projections are now for either zero or negative growth.

Israel has also been counting the economic cost of the conflict. Almost 4,000 Hizbullah rockets hit northern Israel and the Bank of Israel has said the loss of tourism and other economic activity will have cost around $1.5bn, or around 1% of GDP, with businesses in northern Israel the worst affected.

Lebanon faces huge obstacles to recovery and reconstruction


Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Stuart Williams
Agence France Press


BEIRUT: Lebanon has a dauntingly steep path to climb toward reconstruction and a chance, though no guarantee, of recovering from the economic devastation caused by Israel's offensive, economists said Tuesday. Traditional oil-rich allies in the Gulf have raised hopes by pledging $800 million to rebuild infrastructure, but problems such as high unemployment and a shattered private sector could mar any recovery.

"I think that it all depends on how the conflict will end. I don't believe that it has ended. If we can come out with the start of a real process it will only be a blip," said Khaled Zaidan, head of securities at BankMed. "But it would be very difficult to retain financial and human capital as well as attract necessary additional human capital if there is no clear signal or enough confidence that this war will not be replicated."

The economic destruction wrought by the Israeli offensive is indisputable. Almost a million people were displaced, industry came to a grinding halt and the nascent tourist industry, which had been heading for a boom year, was left in tatters.

Economist Kamal Hamdan estimated that almost $3 billion worth of direct losses were caused by the Israeli offensive, with one third in infrastructure and most of the rest in housing and commercial buildings. Indirect losses, based mostly on heavy losses in the tourist sector and idled industry may exceed another $2 billion dollars, he warned.

"There will be no positive growth for the second year in a row. This is very bad for a country like Lebanon with serious macroeconomic and financial imbalances," he said.

Lebanon's public debt has spiraled to $38.8 billion, or 170 percent of GDP, since the end of its 15-year-long Civil War in 1990. With the premises of many businesses, especially in south Beirut, completely destroyed, "unemployment could reach in the very short term 20 percent," a problem accentuated by 10-15 percent of the displaced not being able to return home in the near future, Hamdan said.

But for all the gloom, rays of light have emerged. The banking system remains liquid, with the Central Bank still holding solid foreign currency reserves, bolstered by Kuwaiti and Saudi injections, after it used an estimated $1 billion to support the pound during the offensive.

Moreover, with the cessation of hostilities, government bonds have recovered and a bullish mood has returned to the local stock market. The share price of heavyweight Solidere, a giant property company, is climbing. While the service sector - especially the tourist industry - has been dealt a heavy blow by the offensive, some help could come from growth in construction as aid comes in to rebuild the thousands of destroyed homes.

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, a traditional economic ally of Lebanon, gave $500 million in aid to help rebuild, while Kuwait granted $300 million.

The government said Beirut's airport, put out of action by Israeli air strikes, could re-open in a week if security guarantees are given. However, two-and-a-half months will be needed for it to become fully operational.

"The flow of aid funds, particularly from friendly nations such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, bodes well for the future," BLOM Bank analyst Nicolas Photiades said in a research note. Zaidan of BankMed says that for all the destruction Lebanon is still in better shape than it was just after the 1975-1990 Civil War, but that rebuilding will take a major and sustained international effort.

"You can't put a band-aid on the problem. Lebanon needs a Marshall Plan-type program. You need to have something of that magnitude," he said, referring to the US plan to put Europe back on its feet after World War II.

Hamdan said a social priority must be to give construction jobs to those who lost homes and became unemployed - especially in the bombed-out Shiite suburbs of south Beirut - in order to build a better Lebanon.

"Despite all the dangers, if we get a political consensus there is hope we will be able to build a better way of life in the more underdeveloped areas," in the south and the capital's suburbs, he said.

Wow, very good news. Hopefully they build it up fast and replace the damaged buildings with cool and nice looking buildings.

Good luck Lebanon!

Lebanon's Business community to rebuild 12 destroyed bridges


http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20060816/i/r3493942815.jpg?x=380&y=278&sig=kSfJbPBF7f9OxS71Cocs.A--


Wednesday, 16 August, 2006


Beirut- Lebanese businessmen and private companies pledged Wednesday to rebuild 12 of the 80 bridges destroyed by Israeli bombardment during the month-long conflict.

MP Bahia Hariri, sister of slain billionaire former PM Rafik Hariri, said her family has committed to rebuilding five bridges in south Lebanon, including bridges linking the banks of the Awali River, north of Sidon, and Zahrani, south of the city.

The Hariri group's Geneco company will begin work very soon, she said.

Parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri will finance the reconstruction of the 4 bridges in the south, whereas his brother Bahaa will take charge of works on the Zahrani bridge, the Hariri-owned Future television said.

Saad has also pledged to repair three other bridges in the northern Akkar region, the station said.

Hariri's fortune is estimated at 16 billion dollars, according to the U.S. Fortune magazine.

Former PM Najib Mikati commissioned the public works company Dar al-Handassah to rebuild the Madfoun bridge, linking the capital with north Lebanon.

The Mikati family is a major shareholder of telecommunications giant Investcom, with assets estimated at five billion dollars.

Mayssara Sukkar, CEO of waste management company Sukleen, has committed to rebuilding two bridges in the Jiyeh region south of Beirut, a company statement said.

The governing board of the Casino du Liban company has pledged to rebuild the two bridges of Maameltein and Ghazir on the highway that links Beirut to the region of Kesrouan, north of the capital.

And business woman Amal Hourani has vowed to rebuild two bridges over the Litani River which link the region of Nabatiyeh to Marjayoun in southwest Lebanon.

About 80 bridges have been destroyed and the cost of the damage to the infrastructure is in excess of two billion dollars, according to Transport Minister Mohammed Safadi

Picture: Madfoun bridge, linking the capital with north Lebanon , was destroyed by Israeli air strike


Source: Naharnet, Ya Libnan

CDR: Rebuilding infrastructure will take at least a year, cost $3.5 billion


By Lysandra Ohrstrom
Daily Star staff

Thursday, August 17, 2006
Copyright (c) 2006 The Daily Star


BEIRUT: Lebanon suffered at least $3.5 billion in direct material losses from Israel's month-long bombardment, the head of the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) said Wednesday. Fadl Shalak said that as long as there is political consensus, repairing the $1.5 billion of damaged infrastructure could take as little as a year to 18 months, but rebuilding the $2 billion of destroyed buildings will take a minimum of three to four years.

"This is a huge loss for a small country like Lebanon and does not include indirect economic losses. What happened is catastrophic. I have seen all the wars in Lebanon and have never seen anything like this," he said, adding that the latest estimates are not final and do not include indirect economic losses.

With the cease-fire in its third day, key players across all sectors of the economy convened meetings to assess the damages and draft recovery strategies.

Waji al-Bisri, acting head of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALI), estimated that $200 million in direct damage was inflicted on the entire industrial sector, although dairy, cement, glass and prefab housing factories were hit hardest.

"The closure is costing us an additional $30 million per day," Bisri told The Daily Star in reference to Israel's naval blockade. "As long as the ports remain closed we can't go back to work normally so we're trying to lobby all the contacts we have to get it lifted."

According to a statement released on Wednesday by ALI, 10 percent of total war damage was borne by Lebanon's industrial sector. The group plans to present a proposal to the Cabinet ministers, asking the government to reschedule the debts of clients whose finances deteriorated as a result of the conflict; give fiscal incentives to rebuild factories; scrap export and import duties on raw materials; reschedule VAT taxes; and assist the banking sector in "finding the appropriate mechanism to reschedule debts."

Direct losses to the telecom sector are at least $99 million, according to some estimates. A representative from the Telecom Ministry did not know exact figures and said "the minister is not talking about damage right now."

Mohammad Shabib, the managing director of MTC Touch Lebanon, also said he did not know the extent of destruction of telecom infrastructure in the South.

"We started to survey the damaged sites in all areas the moment the cease-fire went into effect," he said, "and we're working on a recovery plan with the ministry."

The damage to the twin engines of Lebanon's service-oriented economy - tourism and real estate - will be the hardest to assess. Both depend on Lebanon's public image.

Tourism accounted for 9 percent of national GDP before the onset of hostilities, and Tourism Minister Joe Sarkis was optimistic that the sector was on its way back to its pre-Civil War contribution of 20 percent.

Sarkis plans to move ahead.

"We are preparing to launch a big campaign of solidarity in Lebanon involving artists and other public figures so tourists come back to Lebanon," he said. "They will comment on destruction, but also show them how it was before." - with AFP

wooohoo! go lebanon!

Thats very good news! Atleast decent bodies are getting started on the reconstruction

Only thing I see on British media is how Iran has given hezblahblah an unlimited budget... blah blah blah... its getting sickening now... I need to find somewhere to escape it! lol

Sorry for the outburst :)

You guys, is the airport open yet?? I heard that soon it will be partially opened?

^^ one Mea landed and soon a Jordanian airplane will land. It is open but it is not fully functional, next week the commercial airplanes will pour in

^ Yah... I was watching BBC News 24 earlier today they showed them pouring concrete to fill the holes the Israelis made in the runway

They showed the BA flight come in with the Lebanese Ambasitor to the UK on it

I must say, that airport looks nice! I saw the MEA plane landing clip on CNN.

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060817/capt.c678051c1ada4d4dbdbe82593ac4b1df.mideast_lebanon_airport_axhm104.jpg?x=380&y=253&sig=FTxgEOkwkWW1oEFey0fNFQ--
The re-construction one of the runways continues at Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2006. An aircraft of the national carrier coming from Amman, Jordan, marked the first commercial flight to fly into the Rafik Hariri International Airport since July 13, when Israeli warplanes punched holes in the three runways of the country's only international air facility. Two of the runways were damaged and a third has been used by relief flights and special flights. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)


http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20060817/i/r4079490299.jpg?x=380&y=253&sig=IYzGFUJNSS3q7yS296B7tg--

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060817/capt.f0e8596ba4754f4ba9ce2e31cd9376de.mideast_lebanon_airport_axhm108.jpg?x=380&y=259&sig=qf8KY9TRhMeCY1qIk9xdtg--

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20060817/i/r4079280543.jpg?x=380&y=253&sig=pc9jMxGbMuQgx5HjeWRjAQ--

Emaar and Dubai should just go in there to the Southern suburbs and start residential projects worth in the billions.

they should build Burj Beirut :):) hehehe

^^ thats actually a good idea :D

Lebanon infrastructure rebuild to cost more than $3 billion

8/15/2006
Dow Jones Newswires

Lebanon will need at least three billion U.S. dollars to repair infrastructure damage caused by one month of constant Israeli attacks on the country, Lebanese Public Works and Transport Minister Mohammed Safadi told Dow Jones.

“Figures are still not final, but we can say that rebuilding all the bridges and roads that have been destroyed will cost at least $3 billion,” he said.
Safadi said that around 95% of the country’s network of highways and bridges had been destroyed since July 12, when Israel launched its attacks against Lebanon. “But we have not been able to assess the damage around the whole country yet,” he added. “There are areas in the south that public works employees have not been able to reach yet,” he said.

According to Safadi, the reconstruction work could take some time. Safadi said that the ministry has already started constructing alternative, temporary roads for people to use, even as it begins a major reconstruction of its main transport network.

Ways to fund reconstruction, however, still pose a problem.
According to Safadi, the government - which is already struggling with a $38.6 billion public debt load - lost about $500 million from the transport sector through the past month, which has added to its funding problems.
“The treasury was already suffering from trivial expenses...we have no funds set aside to face such mass destruction,” he said. “But we will manage somehow.”

Managing, according to Safadi, means relying on donations from friendly countries and wealthy individuals. “We have had (minister of parliament) Saad Hariri donating to rebuild four bridges, and his brother, Bahaa, offering to rebuild another bridge,” he said.

As for compensating individuals who lost their homes and businesses, Safadi said the matter still needs to be discussed on a governmental level. “This could take some time,” he said.

Initial estimates by non-governmental organizations and civil society bodies show that about 15 thousand residential homes have been destroyed, and about 50 thousand more severely damaged.

Lebanon’s climb to reconstruction after war, steep but manageable

8/16/2006


Lebanon has a dauntingly steep path to climb towards reconstruction and a chance, though no guarantee, of recovering from the economic devastation caused by Israel’s offensive, economists said.

Traditional oil-rich allies in the Gulf have raised hopes by pledging 800 million dollars to rebuild infrastructure, but problems such as high unemployment and a shattered private sector could mar any recovery.

“I think that it all depends on how the conflict will end. I don’t believe that it has ended. If we can come out with the start of a real process it will only be a blip,” said Khaled Zaidan, head of securities at BankMed.

“But it would be very difficult to retain financial and human capital as well as attract necessary additional human capital if there is no clear signal or enough confidence that this war will not be replicated,” he said.

The economic destruction wrought by the Israeli offensive is indisputable.
Almost a million people were displaced, industry came to a grinding halt and the nascent tourist industry, which had been heading for a boom year, was left in tatters.

Economist Kamal Hamdan estimated that almost three billion dollars worth of direct losses were caused by the Israeli offensive, with one third in infrastructure and most of the rest in housing and commercial buildings.
Indirect losses, based mostly on heavy losses in the tourist sector and idled industry may exceed another two billion dollars, he warned.

“There will be no positive growth for the second year in a row. This is very bad for a country like Lebanon with serious macroeconomic and financial imbalances,” he said.

Lebanon’s public debt has spiraled to 38.8 billion dollars, or 170 percent of GDP, since the end of its 15-year-long civil war in 1990.

With the premises of many businesses, especially in south Beirut, simply destroyed, “unemployment could reach in the very short term 20 percent,” a problem accentuated by 10-15 percent of the displaced not being able to return home in the near future, Hamdan said.

But for all the gloom, rays of light have emerged.

The banking system remains liquid, with the central bank still holding solid currency reserves, bolstered by Kuwaiti and Saudi injections, after it used an estimated one billion dollars to support the local pound during the offensive.
Moreover, with the cessation of hostilities, government bonds have recovered and a bullish mood has returned to the local stock market. The share rice of heavyweight Solidere, a giant property company, is climbing.
While the service sector—especially the tourist industry—has been dealt a heavy blow by the offensive, some help could come from growth in construction as aid comes in to rebuild the thousands of destroyed homes.
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, a traditional economic ally of Lebanon, gave 500 million dollars in aid to help rebuild, while Kuwait granted Beirut 300 million dollars.

The government said Beirut’s airport, put out of action by Israeli air strikes, could re-open in a week if security guarantees are given.
However, two-and-a-half months will be needed for it to become fully
operational.

“The flow of aid funds, particularly from friendly nations such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait bodes well for the future,” said Blom Bank analyst Nicolas Photiades in a research note.

Zaidan of BankMed says that for all the destruction Lebanon is still in better shape than it was just after the 1975-1990 civil war, but that rebuilding will take a major and sustained international effort.

“You can’t put a bandaid on the problem. Lebanon needs a Marshall Plan-type program. You need to have something of that magnitude,” he said, referring to the U.S. plan to put Europe on its feet after World War II.

Hamdan said a social priority must be to give construction jobs to those who lost homes and became unemployed—especially in the bombed-out Shiite suburbs of south Beirut—in order to build a better Lebanon.

“Despite all the dangers, if we get a political consensus there is hope we will be able to build a better way of life in the more underdeveloped areas,” in the south and the capital’s suburbs, he said.


(AFP)

Arab Gulf countries to rebuild Lebanon


9/6/2006


As Lebanon digs out from the rubble of war, Arab Gulf countries are pledging billions to rebuild Lebanon.

Oil-rich Saudi Arabia and others have pledged to fix much of the $3.6 billion worth of destruction wrought by 34 days of Israeli bombing. It’s not just roads and bridges the Gulf states seek to repair.

Beyond the deaths of 855 Lebanese and 159 Israelis, the war devastated what promised to be Lebanon’s best economic performance in a decade.

Total damage to Lebanon’s economy, including losses from tourism, exports and sales runs between $9 billion and $16 billion — a huge blow to a yearly economy valued around $22 billion, said Marwan Barakat, head of research at Beirut’s Bank Audi.
Lebanon’s economy had been predicted to grow by as much as 6 percent this year but now is expected to shrink 6.2 percent, said Monica Malik, an economist with Standard Chartered Bank in Dubai.

Clearing the rubble alone will take months. Destroyed bridges, roads and public infrastructure will take years to fix, Barakat said.

Fortunately, for Lebanon, the country is endowed with well-heeled friends. Last week, donors from the Gulf, Europe and North America pledged $940 million at a conference in Sweden — nearly double the amount sought.

Among the donors, the Gulf state of Qatar gave $300 million, the United States offered $230 million and the European Union pledged $54 million.

That money comes on top of a flurry of aid from Gulf countries, where sympathy for the Lebanese plight still runs strong. Saudi Arabia offered $500 million and Kuwait pledged $300 million, and the two countries together deposited a further $1.5 billion in Lebanon’s central bank to stabilize the economy.

When all the relief is tallied, including millions in private donations, Barakat said Lebanon is nearing the $3.6 billion damage estimate.

“The aid will cover almost all of the direct damage,” Barakat said by phone from Beirut.
Much of the emergency aid be used to clear unexploded Israeli bombs, shelter those made homeless and restore social services. Another conference is planned later this year for long-term reconstruction aid.

The Gulf harbors a financial interest in a quick Lebanese comeback.
Companies in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have invested nearly $2 billion in real estate projects. In many cases, unbuilt high-rise apartments and luxury villas have already been sold, often to Gulf Arabs seeking summer homes in Lebanon’s cooler climate and liberal lifestyle.

“The role of the Gulf states has been absolutely critical in the aid stage,” Malik said. “When international investors come back, I’m sure Gulf investors will be the leaders.”

If peace holds, Standard Chartered Bank forecasts 7 percent GDP growth in Lebanon next year, Malik said.

Several huge projects were announced or started before the war, and await resumption including several international hotels.

They include:

_ A 27-story, $150 million tower dubbed “La Residence by Ivana Trump” being developed by Dubai-based DAMAC, which is said to be moving ahead.
_ The $600 million Beirut Gate development of eight high-rise towers overseen by Abu Dhabi Investment House, also in the United Arab Emirates is expected to break ground soon.
_ The $1.1 billion Phoenician Village overseen by a Kuwaiti-led holding company, al-Dhow, that has decided to put the project on hold and reimburse buyers until stability returns, the Beirut Daily Star reported Wednesday.
_ Also planned are three residential projects by Dubai Islamic Bank’s Deyar Development, including four high-rise towers in Beirut valued at $65 million.


The Associated Press

Lebanon should refuse any blood money and reconstruction efforts from UK and US. Any offers from them, would merely be lame efforts to ease their minds. They are as much responsible for Lebanons' destruction as that despicable state (I can't get myself to name it).

U.S. to send delegation on Lebanon rebuilding


Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:30 PM ET



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush on Saturday named a delegation of business leaders and U.S. officials to visit Lebanon to discuss the rebuilding after the 34-day war between Israel and Lebanese Hizbollah guerrillas.

The group will be led by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Dina Powell and will include Intel Corp. Chairman Craig Barrett, Cisco Systems Inc. Chief Executive John Chambers, Ghafari Inc. Chairman Yousif Ghafari and Ray Irani, chairman of Occidental Petroleum Corp.

The White House said the delegation will meet with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and will visit areas hit by the bombing. The conflict killed nearly 1,200 people in Lebanon and 157 in Israel.

The group is setting up a fund to seek private donations from Americans for the rebuilding.

its wired, can i say Ironic the wepands used in the war were made in the US ,
now there helping lebanon rebuild

The new fidar bridge (Old one destroyed by israel during july war).

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/1858/fidarbridgejq3.th.jpg

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/1125/fidarbridgesmallmk2.jpg

Is due to be complete early august 2007.

Public Works Ministry finishes bulk of temporary repairs

By Lysandra Ohrstrom
Daily Star staff
Tuesday, October 03, 2006

BEIRUT: The Ministry of Public Works and Transport has finished temporary repairs on most of the damaged roads under its jurisdiction, the director general said on Monday, and will now begin rebuilding destroyed bridges that have not already been claimed by private donors.

The ministry is also in the process of working on a proposal to hire a monitoring firm to make sure that all construction complies with regulations, Fadi Nammar said.

"We've installed about 55 shunt roads since the cease-fire went into effect to reduce traffic congestion and most of the 95 roads that sustained damage have been fixed. Maybe we have 2 percent left, " Nammar told The Daily Star from his office in Hazmieh. "Now we are moving on to phase two of our recovery plan."

About 60 of the 78 bridges damaged during the war are completely destroyed, and private donors have sponsored 40 of them. According to Lebanese law, each private donor must sign an agreement with the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) before work can begin. Nammar estimates that bridge work will take between three months and three years, depending on the project in question.

The Mdeirej Bridge, which has been sponsored by the United States in coordination with an Italian consulting firm, and the Fidar, which will be rebuilt by Byblos Bank, will be the most difficult and time-consuming projects, Nammar said.

The ministry will not have to shoulder the work alone. Toward the end of the conflict it agreed to divide responsibility for the damaged transport routes by ceding authority of international roads to the CDR, whose mandate is determined by the Cabinet.

The move left the Public Works Ministry in charge of primary, secondary and local highways and bridges.

Nammar believes that the CDR needs to coordinate a plan with all of the relevant ministries to organize the workload and make sure work is up to building standards.

"We can't have people coming in, saying 'I want to help here and I want to help there'," he said. "We need to have an 'organigram,' with the donor, the construction costs and a time frame for each project."

The ministry cannot move onto phase two without the approval of the Higher Relief Committee (HRC), which is responsible for issuing bid invitations to contractors and consultants that have been approved by the CDR.

For the bid invitations to be issued a comprehensive damage assessment - including the time frame and cost of each project - must be released.

The HRC has contracted the Khatib and Alami engineering firm to complete the survey.

Donors may contribute solar-power apparatus for new homes - UN

By Lysandra Ohrstrom
Daily Star staff
Friday, October 06, 2006

http://www.dailystar.com.lb//admin/storage/articles/20061052319470.8-lysandra.jpg

BEIRUT: At least three international donors are considering using a portion of reconstruction aid to finance the installation of renewable energy units in newly built residences in Southern Lebanon. A project manager from the United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) energy efficiency branch - which works in coordination with the Ministry of Energy and Water (MoEW) - declined to name the countries or organizations currently reviewing proposals, but said two embassies and one global NGO have shown interest in funding the $12 million project.

"What we are doing now is trying to secure at least partial donations to install 12,000 solar thermal water-heating units, rather than electric heaters, in homes that have been destroyed in Southern villages," Anwar Nour Ali told The Daily Star in a phone interview.

"We also want all reconstructed houses in the South and buildings in the Dahiyeh to use energy-efficient lamps which are affordable and not a big investment, but contractors want to save money so they use the cheapest ones possible," Ali said, adding that the LL4,000-LL5,000 lamps will result in an 80 percent saving for consumers. The MoEW estimates that solar water-heating systems would reduce each homeowner's electricity bill by 25-30 percent.

Earlier this year the Order of Engineers and Architects began requiring that all newly designed houses be equipped for solar water heaters in order to obtain construction permits. Building schematics must include provisions for where and how a solar water heater can be installed and connected to the plumbing system.

Similar regulations were not extended to apartment complexes, since the installation of solar panels on the roofs of multi-owner buildings is problematic in the absence of government legislation, but new standards do require contractors to install plumbing large enough to allow for the future installation of solar heating units.

The UNDP is also promoting a third proposal for the windows, walls and roofs of new apartment buildings in the southern suburbs to be constructed on an energy-efficient basis, though Ali said they are not focusing on the project.

The Energy Research Group (ERG) at AUB is in the progress of completing a report on using solar water heaters in reconstructed residences. They estimate that the residential sector accounts for 38 percent of Lebanon's annual energy consumption - with electric water heaters using the most power per household after air conditioners and space heaters - but the absence of a comprehensive energy efficiency strategy has hindered the adoption of such technology in the past.

If obstacles like high initial procurement costs and lack of trained installers and import legislation are overcome, ERG concludes in its draft report that installing domestic solar water heating units might reduce the need to build new power plants.

Zakaria Rammel, a representative from the MoEW, confirmed that the ministry is coordinating with the UNDP on securing donors for a domestic renewable energy program in Southern villages, but he was not able to verify the details of the proposals before The Daily Star went to press.

"We are working with the UNDP on this, but it shouldn't be seen as a reconstruction donation because the Chinese had already donated solar panels last year, but unfortunately during the war at least half of these were destroyed," Rammel said. "We are asking them to replace these and possibly install more," he said.

Ali gave no time frame for the project, but said it will not be feasible for at least 18 months since units cannot be installed until houses are built.

Hopefully this wil happen sooner then later. Believe me, I am no fan of U.S foreign policy!! (Don't get me started abouut Bush!!!!!!)

An event is being organised with the intent of sending lebanese expats to Lebanon to help with rebuilding efforts.

http://www.sayabqalubnan.com/


If you can help (ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK ... or Christmas Break.. or even summer break!!!!), contact the really nice webmaster at info@sayabqalubnan.com

Kuwait gives CDR $300 million to rebuild homes

Daily Star staff
Wednesday, October 18, 2006

http://www.dailystar.com.lb//admin/storage/articles/20061017237510.1-lebanon%20Kuwait.jpg

BEIRUT: Kuwait gave Lebanon a grant of $300 million on Tuesday as part of an effort to help the government rebuild Beirut's southern suburbs and villages in the South destroyed during this summer's war with Israel. In the presence of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Kuwaiti Finance Minister Bader Mashari al-Humaidi, Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development Director General Abdul Wahab Ahmed al-Bader and Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) chief Nabil Jisr signed the grant agreement at the Grand Serail.

The grant will be used to rebuild 20 villages in the South, and more than 7,300 people will benefit from the package.

Lebanon has already received pledges of $940 million from the donor states that met in Stockholm in July 24.

In addition, Saudi Arabia has promised a total of $500 million for reconstruction.

Qatar has started paying compensation to those whose homes destroyed in four villages in the South.

The CDR estimated the direct material losses of the war at more than $3.6 billion, while the indirect losses are expected to be much more.

Siniora has said that the government will give $53,000 to each owner of destroyed homes in the southern suburbs and $40,000 to the residents of villages in the South and the Bekaa Valley. - The Daily Star

its weired, can i say Ironic the weapons used in the war were made in the US ,
now they're helping lebanon rebuild

It's hypocritical, that's what. US policy is a snake with a forked tongue. Lebanon must please refuse taking the apple from the snake.
Good luck with your reconstruction efforts.

AFESD to lend $70m to private sector & $100m to EDL

10/6/2006


The Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD) announced that it will increase its contribution to help in the reconstruction of Lebanon through two major plans.

The first is to provide around $70m to $80m in soft long term loans with an 8-year grace period to the Lebanese private sector. These loans will be given out in collaboration with the BDL, the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL) and Lebanese banks. The other plan aims at providing the Electricité Du Liban (EDL) with $100m for the rehabilitation of the electricity sector.

AFESD has already signed three credit agreements with the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) for $217m and donated $10m to the Lebanese government in support following Israel’s latest attack on Lebanon.

Blominvest

Check out these pics from BloggingBeirut.com:

The same gas station already rebuilt and in business following the July War!


Before: August 26, 2006
http://bloggingbeirut.com/images/nov06/reconstruction2.jpg

AFTER: Nov. 3rd, 2006
http://bloggingbeirut.com/images/nov06/reconstruction1.jpg

Bridge repairs accelerate as holidays draw near


Wednesday, December 06, 2006

By Mohammed Zaatari
Daily Star staff


SIDON: As the Christmas and Adha holidays draw nearer, reconstruction work on the South's destroyed bridges has reached its final stages. A number of newly renovated bridges that were destroyed during the July-August war will be operative in a matter of days, according to various groups at work rebuilding the bridges.

Officials involved in the reconstruction effort said that good weather and pressure to finish work before the holidays have spurred the rate of reconstruction in the Litani River region - host to key bridges linking the South to the capital - to new highs.

An executive at GENECO, which is owned by the family of slain former Premier Rafik Hariri, said the firm is working to renovate 12 bridges in the South, including the Awali Bridge. GENECO said three bridges in the area of Rmeileh will be open by the New Year.

The Hojeij family, meanwhile, is renovating five bridges on the banks of the Litani, including the Kaakaiyeh Bridge and the Qassimiyeh Bridge, both located at the entrance to the port city of Tyre.

Sources close to the Russian engineering unit operating in the country said soldiers had finished installing eight steel bridges at various spots.

The spans are to serve as substitutes for bridges that will take more time to be rebuilt, such as the Zahrani Bridge.



Copyright (c) 2006 The Daily Star

"Rebuilding Lebanon Together"
"100 days after"
http://www.rebuildlebanon.gov.lb/images_Gallery/Rebuilding%20Lebanon%20Together-4.pdf


--> very informativ

Qatar to help war-torn Lebanon by rebuilding churches and mosques


By Barbara Bibbo', Correspondent



Doha: Qatar has pledged to help Lebanon in its reconstruction efforts by rebuilding both Muslim and Christian places of worship, the Qatari foreign minister said here yesterday.

"We are committed to help Lebanon in its reconstruction efforts and we have pledged to support the reconstruction of mosques and churches. It is an honour and duty," said Shaikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jabr Al Thani, Qatar's first deputy premier and minister of foreign affairs.

Shaikh Hamad was addressing reporters during a joint press conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, who is visiting the region to rally support from donor countries ahead of the Paris III conference.

Siniora said: "The Paris III conference is crucial for our country. Lebanon cannot tolerate additional economic strain. We need both internal efforts and Arab commitments to support the economic reconstruction."

Commenting on Lebanon's political crises between his anti-Syrian Government and the Hezbollah-led opposition, Siniora said the Lebanese factions should resort to dialogue.

Construction of the new Fidar Bridge.

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/8576/fidarbridgedr9.jpg

Arch Foes U.S. and Iran Rebuild Lebanon's Destroyed Bridges

http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/0/045aa23a412c52e0c225727c003463d8/Body/0.82?OpenElement&FieldElemFormat=jpg

The United States and Iran are among foreign contributors to the 85-million-dollar reconstruction of 90 bridges destroyed or damaged by Israel during its offensive on Lebanon last summer.
With the U.S. due to contribute more than 20 million dollars to reconstruct the Mdeirej bridge on the main Beirut-Damascus highway, Iran has offered three million dollars to rebuild 17 bridges.

Direct material damage to housing and infrastructure in Lebanon during Israel's 34-day war with the Iranian-backed Hizbullah in July-August 2006 has been put at 3.6 billion dollars.

About 20 bridges were totally destroyed and some 70 others damaged.

Almost six months after the war ended on August 14 with a U.N.-brokered ceasefire, a total of 21 bridges have been repaired. Several more are under reconstruction and another 10 are awaiting the start of rebuilding work.

"It is a very delicate situation, because some of the targeted bridges are vital roadways for local and international transport on the Beirut-Damascus road," said Elias Helou, the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) state official in charge of the bridge-rebuilding project.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is financing the reconstruction of the Mdeirej bridge, the highest in the Middle East.

The 70-meter-high bridge was hit on July 21 in the early days of Israel's onslaught against Hizbullah. A 220-meter-long section was destroyed.

"Its rehabilitation will take about two and a half years and will cost more than 20 million dollars," said Helou, adding that a U.S. firm will reconstruct the bridge originally built in 1998 at a cost of 56 million dollars.

For the more modest amount of three million dollars, Iran is due to pay for work on 17 bridges, mostly in southern Lebanon but also in the east and north of the country.
Figures were unavailable for other donors helping to finance the rebuilding of Lebanon's bridges; these include Saudi Arabia, Italy and Greece as well as Lebanese individuals and companies.

Among the local donors is the family of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri which has pledged to rebuild 22 bridges.

The Casino Du Liban has offered three million dollars to fund the rebuilding of a bridge north of Beirut, with the work being undertaken by French firm Fressynet International and a Lebanese partner.

Immediately after the war, Lebanese authorities, with the help of France, Britain and Russia, installed temporary metal bridges to help restore traffic access across the country.(AFP-Naharnet) (AFP photo shows snow covering the Mdeirej bridge)


Beirut, 08 Feb 07, 11:34

Zahrani bridge to reopen on May 25 - contractor

By Mohammed Zaatari
Daily Star staff
Saturday, April 28, 2007



SIDON: Contractors rebuilding the Zahrani bridge near Sidon expect to open the new span for traffic on May 25, the anniversary of the Israeli withdrawal from most of South Lebanon in 2000, the director of the company overseeing the work says. The bridge was destroyed by an Israeli air strike during the summer 2006 war.

The bridge is a crucial link in traffic routes joining Sidon, Tyre and Nabatieh. Its destruction generated months of traffic delays and headaches for area residents and visitors.

The first phase of renovation of the highway linking Sidon to other Southern coastal towns was completed in late October.

Bashir Dimassi, head of GENECO, the contractor, told The Daily Star that preparations to reopen the bridge "have reached their final stages."

The reconstruction "took a lot of work because the bridge is one of the biggest in the South, in addition to the fact that the amount of damage on the bridge was quite huge," Dimassi said. "Despite that, work continued throughout the winter, when water levels of the Zahrani River reach their peak. We succeeded in altering the course of the river in order to be able to have work run smoothly amid harsh weather conditions."

GENECO is owned by the Hariri family, which volunteered to reconstruct the bridge. MP Saad Hariri and his brother Bahaa funded renovation work on a number of Southern bridges and highways following the war.

The 70-meter-long bridge was hit repeatedly during the war. Several civilians, including paramedics, were killed in the area while fleeing the attack or performing rescue work. GENECO said that before work could begin, the contractor, with help from the Lebanese Army, moved a large amount of unexploded ordnance from around the bridge's pylons. - The Daily Star

IMF Executive Board Approves US$76.8 Million In Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance to Lebanon
Press Release No. 07/86
May 4, 2007
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved today an amount equivalent to SDR 50.75 million (about US$76.8 million) in Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance (EPCA) to Lebanon in support of the authorities' economic program for 2007.

The objectives of the IMF supported program are to protect financial stability, contain the budget deficit, and to initiate structural reforms that are crucial to the success of the authorities' medium-term reform program for 2007-2011. The EPCA would provide an appropriate support for the transitional challenges of moving from post-conflict situation to a program of fiscal adjustment starting in 2008. The IMF's support through EPCA is a key part of a concerted international effort to provide financial assistance to Lebanon.

Following the Executive Board's April 9 discussion on Lebanon, Mr. Murilo Portugal, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, stated:

"The July 2006 conflict imposed a heavy human and economic toll on Lebanon, with severe damage to infrastructure, the displacement of people, and a slow down of economic activity. At the same time, the country's financial markets weathered the crisis well. Financial stability and confidence in the exchange rate peg were maintained owing to the central bank's skillful management, the banking system's strong liquidity position, and the timely deposits by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in the central bank.

"2007 will be a difficult transition year. Prospects for an economic recovery in 2007 are weak owing to the ongoing political tensions. The authorities face a difficult post-conflict environment, as well as challenges stemming from a large debt overhang and financial vulnerabilities. Against this background, the authorities have developed an ambitious medium-term reform program that was supported by donors at the Paris III conference. The program aims at significantly reducing the debt-to-GDP ratio over the next five years. Support from donors in the form of grants and concessional lending will assist in achieving these objectives. Part of the amounts pledged at the Paris III conference will be available for debt reduction, and the rest for project financing.

"The authorities' program for 2007, which will be supported by the Fund's Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance, focuses on maintaining financial stability and containing the primary fiscal deficit while accommodating reconstruction and relief spending. Keeping the excise rates on gasoline products at the levels prevailing in March will be a key measure to achieve the deficit objective. The authorities' financing strategy for 2007 relies on the timely disbursement of donor support, which is also important in limiting the further build-up of government debt.

"In the course of 2007, the authorities plan to initiate important structural reforms that will support their medium-term reform and debt reduction objectives. These include actions to strengthen public financial management so as to better align spending with budget priorities; reforms in the social and energy sectors with a view to containing open-ended government transfers to the social security system and to the power utility; and introduction of a global income tax, which would lead to a more equitable sharing of the burden of fiscal adjustment.

"The authorities are committed to exchange rate stability. Given the domestic and regional political environment, Lebanon remains highly exposed to possible swings in confidence. Thus, maintaining a comfortable level of international reserves will remain a key program objective. The authorities consider that, if financial pressures re-emerge, the exchange rate peg can be protected by the international reserves buffer and interest rate increases, but they recognize that if pressures persist, a faster pace of fiscal adjustment may be needed," Mr. Portugal said.

Zahrani Bridge to reopen on Liberation Day:banana:
By Mohammed Zaatari
Daily Star staff
Friday, May 25, 2007

http://www.dailystar.com.lb//admin/storage/articles/200752502250.2.zahrani%20bridge%20zaatari.jpg

ZAHRANI: The Zahrani highway bridge, destroyed by Israeli air strikes during the summer 2006 war, is scheduled to reopen on Friday at 6:30 p.m. to mark the anniversary of the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from most of South Lebanon. The highway is a crucial link between the Southern cities of Sidon, Tyre and Nabatieh. Its destruction caused long daily delays for motorists.

The construction company GENECO, which is owned by the Hariri family, rebuilt the bridge. It was one of many projects that Bahaa and Saad Hariri, sons of the late former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, funded in the South following the war.

Sidon MP Bahia Hariri, sister of Rafik, urged residents to attend the bridge's inauguration ceremony to celebrate Liberation Day "the way Premier Hariri always celebrated it, with ample joy and pride."

"As my brother always wanted, we took upon ourselves the task of rebuilding several of the destroyed bridges ... so that communication channels among all Lebanese are kept open and never shut," she added.

GENECO executive director Bashir Dimassi told The Daily Star that the reconstruction "took a lot of work because the bridge is one of the biggest in the region, in addition to the fact that the amount of damage on the bridge was quite huge."

The 70-meter span was hit repeatedly during the war. GENECO and the army removed about 20 unexploded munitions from the area as rebuilding work began.

LIGHTHOUSE is Under Renovation

---------------

From a recent photo but i can't post it right now,I think it's part of the renovation of the whole corniche

^^ I thought they already repaired the damage to the lighthouse?

Please post the pic if you can...

Yeah I think he's talking about this picture
courtesy of uncle monster
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/130/sdry2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Reconstruction begins on Jiyyeh power plant
Workers start installation of new storage tanks
By Mohammed Zaatari
Daily Star staff
Tuesday, October 09, 2007



JIYYEH: Reconstruction of the Jiyyeh power plant, about 30 kilometers south of Beirut, kicked off Monday as Egyptian and Lebanese laborers began the construction of new iron fuel tanks to replace those destroyed during the summer 2006 war with Israel. "We began with the installation of five iron tanks," Egyptian engineer Saeed Mohammad told The Daily Star.

Mohammad, who was charged with supervising the project, said in addition to the installation of the five tanks, the project consists of installing an additional three fuel-storage tanks, each with a capacity of 25,000 cubic meters.

"The installation of at least one of the three fuel-storage tanks will be completed by the end of the year," a source close to the project told The Daily Star on condition of anonymity.

"We will also install two water tanks, each with a capacity of 4,000 cubic meters, and lay a new pipeline network for both water and fuel," Mohammad said, adding that the project would be completed by August 2008.

The reconstruction of the Jiyyeh power plant is part of the Egyptian assistance program designated for Electricite du Liban following the aftermath of last summer's war.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb

"The workforce is made up of 100 men, 70 percent of whom are Egyptian and the rest are Lebanese," Mohammad said. "Should the need arise, the number of workers [can be increased by] up to 150 men."

Further highlighting the collaborative effort, Mohammad said the iron used to manufacture of the tanks was sent from Egypt to be welded in Lebanon.

Israeli air strikes hit the Jiyyeh power plant in July 2006 and spilled some 15,000 tons of fuel oil into the sea, polluting about 150 kilometers of the country's shoreline.

The incident was described at the time as the worst environmental catastrophe in the history of Lebanon.

A number of local and international players in environmental and disaster management are supporting the Lebanese government in addressing the problem.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I didnt understand...there putting in 5 tanks plus 3 extra..and one of the extra ones will be in by end of year l?? Wouldnt they put the first 5 then do the extra..lol Maybe the extra ones are smaller or something

Cyprus announces Lebanon reconstruction project
11/10/2007

Cyprus informed the Government of Lebanon, that it has selected the project “Good Governance for Enhanced Post-War Reconstruction: An Integrated Approach to Respond to Recovery in Southern Lebanon”, and will make financial contributions over the next two years as a proof of the feelings of friendship, respect and mutual support that have linked the two countries.

In his address during the Lebanon reconstruction project announcement in Nicosia, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Alexandros N. Zenon said the terrible events that occurred in Lebanon last year and the tragic conditions that they have inflicted on the country and its people could not but have generated the support and solidarity of the international community and the people of Cyprus, reminding them of the Turkish invasion of 1974.

He said Cyprus responded immediately to the needs faced by the Lebanese people and became active in the international efforts at providing immediate relief, placing its ports and airports at the disposal of the international community, and Cyprus was used as a launching base for the delivery of aid into Lebanon, and for the evacuation of civilians – Lebanese and foreigners alike – from the war zone.

Zenon also said that after the war ended, Cyprus participated in the Stockholm pledging conference for the reconstruction of Lebanon, whereby a contribution of $100.000 was made and which has already been delivered to Lebanon.
In addition, after a suggestion put forward by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Development Cooperation Policy-making Body – the Inter-ministerial Body dealing with Cyprus’ Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Activities, decided to include Lebanon in the list of top priority countries for Cypriot Development Cooperation, as of 2007.

During the Paris III Conference for the reconstruction of Lebanon, last January, the Government of Cyprus announced its intention to contribute another €170.000 in the reconstruction process, over and above any other previously announced contribution.

Zenon also said that in the past few months, CYPRUSAID staff, from both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Planning Bureau, which is jointly responsible for development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid activities, have been evaluating projects under preparation in Lebanon, with the close cooperation of the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Beirut.

“It is my distinct pleasure, to use this opportunity to officially inform the Government of Lebanon, that Cyprus has selected the project “Good Governance for Enhanced Post-War Reconstruction: An Integrated Approach to Respond to Recovery in Southern Lebanon”, Zenon told the country’s ambassador during the ceremony that Cyprus has also agreed to “contribute EUR500.000 - EUR250.000 in 2007 and EUR250.000 in 2008''.

“This contribution is the largest ever made by the Republic of Cyprus’ service for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid and constitutes a concrete proof of the feelings of friendship, respect and mutual support that have always linked Cyprus and Lebanon”, Zenon concluded.

Kuwait in USD 150 million worth of re-construction projects in South Lebanon


BEIRUT, Oct 30 (KUNA) -- Kuwait is contributing in the reconstruction process in southern Lebanon, building projects in 25 villages with damage that resulted from the 2006 summer war with Israel.

The representative of Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) in Lebanon Dr. Mohammad Sadeqi said in remarks, published on Tuesday by the local newspaper "As-Safir" that the fund was focusing efforts on repairing and paving roads linking up the villages in southern Lebanon, in addition to the establishment of three complexes for entertainment and social activities in the regions of Tyre, Bint Jbeil and Marjayoun.

The fund has already paid the first installment of the alloted funds for owners of residential units that were destroyed or damaged, putting the number of the totally destroyed units at 500 and those partialy demolished at 2,000, in addition to 6,000 homes with some damage.

The fund is also involved in contruction of a sewage network linking up the villages of Braachit, Tibnin and Al-Jmaijmeh, in addiion to the construction of a water treatment station.

The cost of the ventures executed by the fund in southern Lebanon is estimated at 150 million US dollars, the highest among funds that have been allocated for other Lebanese regions.

Article originally published by KUNA (Kuwait News Agency) 30-Oct-07

UN releases report into extent of damage, complications of 2006 Jiyyeh oil spill
Monday, November 05, 2007

UNITED NATIONS: When the Israeli Air Force destroyed a slew of oil storage tanks and a key power station during its war against Lebanon in July 2006, the environmental damage was described as devastating. And now, more than 15 months later, the United Nations has released a report detailing the extent of the destruction caused by that oil spill to human health, biodiversity, fisheries and tourism.

The destruction has had "serious implications" for livelihoods and economy in that oft trouble-plagued country.

The Israeli bombing, which destroyed storage tanks and the Jiyyeh power plant, triggered the release of about 15,000 tons of fuel oil into the Mediterranean Sea, leading to the contamination of some 150 kilometers of coastline in Lebanon and neighboring Syria.

The four weeks of bombings resulted in more than 1,183 fatalities in Lebanon, the great majority of them civilians, while at least 4,054 people were wounded and 970,000 Lebanese displaced.

After an assessment of the economic damage, the World Bank said the overall cost was between $527 million and $931 million, averaging about $729 million, or about 3.6 percent of Lebanon's gross domestic product in 2006.

The damage affected forests, water, air, hotels, beach resorts, public beaches, restaurants and commercial fishing.

The implications of the oil spill have been studied and assessed by over half a dozen international and environmental organizations, including the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the UN Development Program (UNDP), the UN Environment Program, the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

According to the IUCN, much of the shoreline ecosystem was physically and chemically contaminated.

The oil spill had a direct impact on biodiversity hot spots and a fragile marine ecosystem, such as the only marine protected area in the country: the Palm Islands Nature Reserve.

In a report to the current session of the General Assembly, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urges the government of Israel "to take the necessary actions toward assuming responsibility for prompt and adequate compensation to the government of Lebanon."

The international efforts to help Lebanon should be intensified, he says, in the study titled "Oil Slick on Lebanese Shores," since "Lebanon is still engaged in oil removal, treatment of wastes and monitoring of recovery."

"It should also be recognized that this oil spill is not covered by any of the international oil-spill compensation funds, and thus merits special consideration," he notes.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb

According to the report, financial and technical aid have so far come from over a dozen countries, including Kuwait, Norway, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Monaco, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan and the US.

But Israel, which caused the spill, is conspicuously absent from the list of donors.

To date, the report says, the government of Israel has yet to assume its responsibility for prompt and adequate compensation for the spill to the government of Lebanon.

The UNDP, which reviewed the many international and regional conventions that relate to oil pollution, found that all conventions are "inapplicable during armed hostilities."

Additionally, the agreements that relate to spill compensation pertain only to oil spills from tanker vessels at sea, and not land-based incidents.

The UN report also says that when the oil spill occurred in July 2006, "it overwhelmed national response capacity because of the ongoing conflict, the simultaneous need for a massive humanitarian response, the destruction of infrastructure and a land, air and sea blockade by Israel."

These factors impeded initial efforts for international assistance in cleaning the oil.

In a report released last year, the human rights organization Amnesty International (AI) said that during more than four weeks of ground and aerial bombardment by the Israeli armed forces, the country's infrastructure suffered destruction on a "catastrophic scale."

Israeli forces pounded buildings into the ground, reducing entire neighborhoods to rubble and turning villages into ghost towns, as their inhabitants fled the bombardments. Main roads, bridges and petrol stations were blown to bits, AI noted.

Entire families were killed in air strikes on their homes or in their vehicles while fleeing the aerial assaults on their villages.

Scores lay buried beneath the rubble of their houses for weeks, as the Red Cross and other rescue workers were prevented from accessing the areas by continuing Israeli strikes.

"The Israeli Air Force launched more than 7,000 air attacks on about 7,000 targets in Lebanon between 12 July and 14 August 2006, while the Navy conducted an additional 2,500 bombardments," AI added.

On the humanitarian front, the UN and its relief agencies were outraged over the destruction of lives and infrastructure in Lebanon, in what then Secretary General Kofi Annan called a "grossly disproportionate use of military force."

Looks like the lightouse renovation is complete:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2048/2052242350_44c24aa788_o.jpg

Taken on November 19
courtesy of Luciana.Luciana

:banana:

^^ should be painted red and white. grey is so dull.

^^ No, that would be tacky! White is fine but it would stand out too much... I prefer this modern "silver" look.

^^ should be painted red and white. grey is so dull.

red will look bad...

A work in progress: much has already been done to rebuild the country since the 2006 conflict with Israel, but more effort is needed.(RECONSTRUCTION)

Publication: MEED Middle East Economic Digest
Publication Date: 19-OCT-07
COPYRIGHT 2007 MEED Middle East Economic Digest. All Rights Reserved.

Lebanon's post-2006 war reconstruction effort offers a mixed picture. Paris III aid has largely come in--at least for rebuilding shattered infrastructure. The Lebanese government claims to have repaired and reconstructed more than 90 per cent of the damaged infrastructure. Yet many villagers in the south of the country are still waiting to be rehoused more than 14 months after the end of the conflict.

The bill for the damage has been high. Initial assessments from the Council for Development & Reconstruction (CDR) evaluated total damages at more than Leb 3.7 trillion [pounds sterling], reflecting damage to infrastructure, housing, industrial companies, petrol stations and military installations. More than 15,000 homes, 80 bridges, 630 roads and other sites were earmarked for reconstruction.

Slow progress

The CDR estimated it would take a minimum of two years to rebuild--and only then if security conditions allowed. Subsequent assessments suggest it may take far longer to patch up the worst of the damage wrought by Israeli artillery. In the south, the widespread use of cluster bombs remains a deadly obstacle. The UN estimates that up to 1 million of the 4 million cluster bomblets dropped by Israel during the war failed to explode on impact. The death of a British explosives expert during the detonation of a cluster bomb on II October underlines the continued danger facing the south.

Lebanon faces fresh reconstruction challenges on top of those inflicted during the Hizbollah-Israel standoff last year--for example, the devastation wrought to the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp over four months in mid-2007. More than 5,000 temporary housing units will have to be built to accommodate people displaced in the fighting near Tripoli.

Grumbles over the direction of the reconstruction effort, disputes over who is in control, and political feuding have also stymied progress. Wider geo-political battles have caught the reconstruction drive in the crossfire. In August, Sunni religious leaders urged Saudi Arabia to halt aid to residents of southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs after a series of outspoken comments from pro-Syrian politicians.

The mixed progress has been of little surprise, but donor aid is starting to have an impact. In the first seven months of 2007, more than Leb 5.1 trillion [pounds sterling] was received from donor states under the Paris III programme.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Multilaterals are increasingly active. The International Finance Corporation is leading World Bank Group efforts on post-conflict private sector development, signing projects worth Leb 250,000 million [pounds sterling]. The US Agency for International Development is funding reconstruction of the 70-metre-high Mdairej bridge, linking Beirut and Damascus.

Reconstruction of the Jiyyeh power plant finally got under way in October as part of the Egyptian assistance effort for Electricite du Liban following damage to the plant in the 2006 war. This will involve the installation of two water tanks, each with capacity of 4,000 cubic metres, and the laying of pipelines for both water and fuel. Israeli air strikes on a power plant some 30 kilometres away resulted in a 15,000-tonne fuel spill, with devastating environmental consequences.

Local finance has also been tapped. Saad Hariri, son of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri, has funded work on repairs to a series of bridges, with the Hariri family contracting firm Geneco doing much of the work. Even Casino du Liban--with half an eye on its own survival--has contributed to funding the reconstruction of a bridge in Jounieh, north of Beirut, one of the four bridges to be damaged. along the highway connecting the capital with the northern town of Batroun.

Banque du Liban (central bank) governor Riad Salemeh has promised loans to industrialists to cover about 60 per cent of buildings and machineries lost in the war. The bank's munificence extends even to those who escaped the bombing--sending a circular to all Lebanese banks in which it allows industrialists to postpone the repayment of loans extended prior to the war.

Aid has flooded in, but under the Paris III terms there is a focus on conditionality. European donors want reform, but the political stalemate in the past year has prevented any significant progress. Gulf donors are less sniffy about conditionality; but are adamant that their aid should not end up in the wrong hands--specifically anything overseen by Hizbollah.

Qatar moved quickest, focusing its aid efforts on the worst-hit border villages: Bint Jbeil, Aita Shaab, Ainata and Khiam. The UAE has poured money into school rehabilitation.

Kuwait granted $300 million in October 2006 to rebuild the southern suburbs and Beirut and villages in the south. The Saudi Fund for Development is funding construction of a 15-kilometre-long section of highway from Mdeirej to Taanayel.

The flow of reconstruction aid reflects the priorities and links of particular donors. Given the long-standing ties between Hizbollah and Iran, the entry of Iranian project funding comes as no surprise. Iran is reported to have taken on 1,300 projects, including rebuilding mosques and churches, 13 bridges, and roads throughout the Shia-dominated south.

Fuelling controversy

In October, the CDR signed a Leb 38,000 million [pounds sterling] deal with the Iranian government for the reconstruction of the 23-kilometre main road connecting Chtaura and Syria. But Iranian involvement in the reconstruction drive has stoked predictable controversy

Spanish peacekeepers working as part of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) battalion in the south recently came to blows with the Iranian Construction Committee over plans to build an overpass connecting the Wazzani region with the Israeli-occupied Ghajar. Unifil is insisting on the final say on any construction effort in this politically sensitive area.

The reconstruction drive has clearly patched up the worst of the damage, but it has yet to yield a wider construction boom in the Lebanese economy Construction permits were down 40 per cent in the first five months of 2007, reflecting a fall in project activity, according to figures from the Order of Engineers of Beirut & Tripoli. A speedy political resolution would help, but reconstruction is still a work in progress for the Lebanese.

COPYRIGHT 2007 MEED Middle East Economic Digest. All Rights Reserved.

KFAED braces for second phase of Lebanon reconstruction

BEIRUT, Dec 8 (KUNA) -- Residing representative of Kuwait Fund for Arab and Economic Development (KFAED) in Lebanon Dr Mohammad Sadeqi met here Saturday with chiefs of southern Lebanese municipalities to prepare for launching the second phase of the Lebanon reconstruction program.

The meeting also attended by the south council chief and chief of the association of municipal councils of Tyre reviewed the achievements of the first phase of the project and selection of consultants for the implementation of the second phase.

The second phase envisages building main roads and rehabilitating the sanitary drainage and the potable water systems.

The KFAED and the Lebanese side signed documents on funding the second phase three weeks ago.

The fund is scheduled to announce tenders for the implementation of the projects of the second phase within one month.

The projects are expected to take three years to complete.

During the meeting Sadeqi noted that the KFAED-funded projects would serve the interests of the final beneficiaries namely the residents of south Lebanon.

He praised chiefs of southern Lebanese municipalities and chief of the association of municipal councils of Tyre for their efforts to prepare for the second phase of the reconstruction process.

KFAED was established on December 31, 1961, as a mechanism through which the State of Kuwait could extend loans and aid to Arab and other developing countries.

It is an independent body administered by a Board of Directors whose members are appointed by HH the Crown Prince, HH the Prime Minister, and the Board Chairman.

Article originally published by KUNA (Kuwait News Agency) 08-Dec-07