Bisat: No economic recovery without security or monopoly on weapons

L'Orient-Le Jour

5 days ago

Minister of Economy and Trade Amer Bisat said Monday that Lebanon cannot recover economically without first restoring security, chiefly through the state's monopoly on weapons.
Since the start of Joseph Aoun's presidency, Lebanese authorities have reaffirmed their willingness to reclaim exclusive control over armed forces, particularly after the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah.
'There will be no economic recovery without security,' Bisat said. 'And there will be no security without the state's monopoly on weapons and on decisions of war and peace.'
Two silo projects
Turning to Beirut port's grain silos — nearly destroyed in the Aug. 4, 2020, explosion — Bisat said the ministry is pursuing two separate initiatives.
'The first project concerns the old silos in Beirut. It's a complicated issue — ecologically, administratively and politically,' he said. 'The second is to build new silos in strategic areas, including Tripoli and the Bekaa.'
Bisat stressed the north's importance, saying, 'There can be no recovery of the Lebanese economy without recovery in Tripoli's economy.' He highlighted the city's labor force, export capacity and artisanal industries. 'We'll do everything we can to support them.'
The minister added that the government is 'very optimistic' about an investment plan linking Tripoli's port to the Rachid Karameh International Fair and Qleiaat airport. 'It's an advanced project, and many factors — political, economic and others — are needed to make it succeed,' he said. 'International funding is available, but we must implement reforms.'
He confirmed that a board of directors will be formed to oversee the Karameh Fair.
'Tripoli is not being left off the economic map. The North is central to the state's economic plan,' Bisat said, announcing $250 million in World Bank funding for development, including $70 million in low-interest loans. 'We will try to distribute these funds fairly and efficiently.'
In early July, rumors of a potential territorial deal between Damascus and Tel Aviv — reportedly involving Israel's occupied Golan Heights and the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli — sparked alarm in Lebanon. Tripoli remains one of the country's poorest cities.
The Rachid Karameh International Fair, designed in the 1960s by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, was meant to be a regional hub for trade shows, cultural events and exhibitions. Once a symbol of Lebanon's post-independence ambitions, it has long sat idle.
'This is a national treasure,' Bisat said earlier this month. 'It can no longer be treated as just a beautiful architectural site. It must fulfill its economic potential.'
Government 'committed' to Qleiaat Airport
On the proposed redevelopment of Rene Moawad Airport in Qleiaat, Bisat said the government is finalizing studies on its economic and financial viability, with results expected by year's end.
'Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is committed to this project,' he said. 'We are studying the best path to launch it.'
Built by the French military in 1938 and handed to the Lebanese Army in 1966, the airport was renamed in honor of President Rene Moawad, who was elected there before his assassination in 1989. The Salam government hopes to rehabilitate the site to supplement Beirut's main airport and bolster Akkar's long-overlooked economy.