Health Minister Tells Al-Manar: Government Funds for Reconstruction Program Still Insufficient
Lebanese Health Minister Rakan Naserddine on Wednesday confirmed in an interview with Al-Manar TV that the Lebanese government has voiced commitment to reconstruction program in its ministerial statement.
Naserddine noted that this approach has been clear since the first cabinet meetings, as 'the government insisted on including this item in the cabinet's agenda and seriously discussing it'.
The minister revealed that the first positive step taken by the government, headed by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, was discussing a World Bank project to rebuild infrastructure in the affected southern regions, within the framework of a dedicated reconstruction fund worth approximately $325 million.
He explained that this amount is still insufficient to cover the actual needs, emphasizing that funding is the primary obstacle facing the government in this regard. calling for additional efforts to establish clear compensation mechanisms, along with securing new funding sources to meet the requirements of the next phase.
Prime Minister, Dr. Nawaf Salam, affirmed on Tuesday that the government has begun working on a reconstruction plan, starting with infrastructure.
'A damage assessment has been conducted, and work has now begun to secure resources. The government has begun negotiations with the World Bank, and has secured $325 million to date, with efforts to increase this amount.'
In a televised speech on Monday via Al-Manar TV, Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem identified 'reconstruction' as the second national priority and criticized the government's delay in launching a comprehensive rebuilding program.
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