Qatar's Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, during his visit to Beirut, announced his country's assistance to Lebanon in reviving its crisis-stricken economy. This cooperation includes the reconstruction of the dilapidated electricity infrastructure and support for the reconstruction programs in southern Lebanon.
Support for the Lebanese Army and Development of Solar Power Plants
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani emphasized after meeting with his Lebanese counterpart, Nawaf Salam, that Qatar will continue to support the Lebanese army. According to him, the Lebanese army is a national institution for maintaining the security, unity, and stability of the country. In recent years, Qatar has played a mediating role in Lebanon's political and economic crises and has provided tens of millions of dollars to the Lebanese army since the onset of the economic crisis in 2019.
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The Prime Minister of Qatar also announced the agreement of Qatar's state energy company with the French company "TotalEnergies" to develop a solar power plant in Lebanon. This project is part of a broader program for investment in Lebanon, which, according to Sheikh Mohammed, will benefit both the Lebanese economy and the participating Qatari companies and institutions.
The Importance of Financing Projects for Lebanon
Nawaf Salam, the Prime Minister of Lebanon, announced that the electricity sector plans for Lebanon will soon be presented to the Cabinet. He emphasized that the Qatari side will cover the costs of financing, implementation, and operation of the project, and no costs will be imposed on the Lebanese government. This is particularly significant given Lebanon's severe financial crisis.
The state electricity company of Lebanon has faced serious problems over the past decades, accumulating about $40 billion in losses and debts. Overstaffing and dilapidated infrastructure are among the issues facing this company, and currently, state electricity is available to citizens for only a few hours a day.
Sheikh Mohammed also discussed with the President and Speaker of Parliament of Lebanon the situation in the south of the country, which suffered significant damage during the last war with Hezbollah earlier this year. He called for Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon and the cessation of its attacks, stating that Doha is working in coordination with the United States to facilitate the reconstruction of southern Lebanon so that refugees can return to their homes.
The recent war between Israel and Hezbollah, which began in early March, resulted in approximately 1.2 million people being displaced in Lebanon. However, after a ceasefire was established in June, many refugees returned to their homes, but over 300,000 people are still living in conditions of displacement.
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