Dubai: Gaza, Syria, Lebanon reconstruction 'mutually beneficial', minister says
The reconstruction of Syria and Gaza are in the interest of the Lebanese people, and the reconstruction of Lebanon is also in the interest of Syria and Palestine, this was underscored by Lebanese Minister of Culture Dr. Ghassan Salamé at the Arab Media Summit in Dubai on Tuesday.
'For the first time, there are 7,300 Lebanese soldiers in areas they may not have gone to before, and we are in the process of raising this number to 10,000,' he stated, emphasising the restoration of state control over various territories with Lebanon's own forces.
The second pillar of Lebanon's strategy focuses on material recovery following what Dr. Salamé described as a 'serious, terrible collapse' of the banking system and economic sector. 'We are in the stage of issuing the necessary legislation to build a strong banking system because this is the most important industry in Lebanon,' he explained, adding that efforts are underway to restore the economic cycle and secure conditions for tourism to return as a basic source of livelihood.
Reconstruction forms the third component of Lebanon's recovery plan, though Dr. Salamé acknowledged significant obstacles, particularly Israel's continued presence in five occupied points in southern Lebanon and ongoing operations despite the ceasefire.
Reconstruction funds
Southern Lebanon requires an estimated $12-14 billion for reconstruction, Dr. Salamé noted, highlighting the changed regional dynamics. 'In the 1988 invasion of Lebanon or after the 2006 war, Lebanon was the spoiled child because it was the only one injured in the Near East region,' he said.
The situation has dramatically shifted, with Gaza now requiring also $60-70 billion following recent bombardments, while numerous areas in Syria remain demolished. 'We must fully understand that the reconstruction of Syria and the reconstruction of Gaza are in the interest of the Lebanese, and vice versa,' Dr. Salamé emphasised.
Arab League effectiveness
Dr. Salamé delivered a stark assessment of the Arab League's current relevance, describing the recent Arab League Summit as the 'weakest ever,' concluding in less than three hours with minimal attendance by leaders of Arab countries.
'Our League, which was pioneering in its activities after World War II, is no longer an appropriate framework for embracing the deep diversity in Arab situations,' he observed, pointing to fundamental differences between various regions of the Arab world in economic development, social structures, technological advancement, and political orientation.
Reflections on Arab cultural identity
The minister reflected on the Arab Renaissance era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries as the region's golden age, characterised by liberation and openness to global concepts. This period saw Arab thinkers unify the status of the Arabic language and embrace ideas from around the world.
'We emerged from our gradual isolation and unified the status of our one language, Arabic, through a number of great renaissance thinkers,' Dr. Salamé said, contrasting this with current cultural dynamics.
He expressed concern about the relationship between politics and culture, noting a significant shift. 'For a long time, we feared for culture from politics, while today, on the contrary, we fear for politics from the excessive use of cultural standards,' he stated.
Dr. Salamé emphasised that culture should be viewed as one element of comprehensive recovery rather than a panacea. 'I do not say that culture is a remedy for all our problems. I am completely with a government policy that respects all its activities, from financial reform to economic reform to politics,' he added.
Libya's progress and challenges
Drawing on his experience as a UN envoy to Libya, Dr. Salamé highlighted achievements including a ceasefire established in 2020 that continues to hold five years later, despite occasional local clashes.
Libya has successfully restored oil production to approximately 1.2 million barrels daily, 'which means that the portion allocated for daily life exists and is available to all Libyans,' he explained.
However, political unity remains elusive due to the complexity of the situation and entrenched foreign interventions. 'We did not reach the third goal due to the complexity of matters and the entrenchment of foreign interventions in the Libyan situation,' Dr. Salamé said, expressing hope that 'Libyan brothers will achieve the third goal by themselves.'
Dr. Salamé, who resigned from his UN position for health reasons, emphasised that identity is fluid rather than fixed, suggesting that the Arab world must adapt to changing realities while preserving its cultural foundations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
8 hours ago
- The National
No sheep, no flour, no ceasefire: Gaza struggles to celebrate Eid in the shadow of war
Eid Al Adha in Gaza and the streets echo not with celebration, but with heartbreak. The sacred Takbirat (the recitation of 'Allahu akbar') of Eid plays softly through cracked windows and half-destroyed alleys, one of the few remaining signs that the Muslim world's second holiest festival has arrived. There is no traditional Eid Kaak, no laughter of children in new clothes. Open markets are eerily empty. Goods sit on dusty shelves, far beyond the reach of a population crushed by war, displacement and deepening poverty. For many, this Eid is the harshest in memory. With continuing Israeli bombardment, widespread hunger and total economic collapse, Gazans long to the joy that once defined this holiday. Alaa Mohammed, 43, lives in Gaza city in a house that is partially destroyed, but she refuses to let her children face Eid in complete despair. 'There are no materials to make the traditional Kaak for Eid,' she tells The National. 'I decided to make biscuits for my children. Even that wasn't easy. I couldn't find the ingredients, so I used a dietary supplement made from bean butter, something meant to be in the aid packages, but people are selling it in the market.' She mixes it with flour and baking powder and shapes it into biscuits. 'It's better than nothing. At least my children smiled for a moment," she adds. There's no food, no signs, nothing that tells you Eid is here Hala Aboud, Gaza resident Hala Aboud, 40, has not left her home on Nasser Street in Gaza city for three weeks. 'It's not just the Israeli air strikes,' she tells The National. 'It's the chaos everywhere, gunfire in the streets, thieves roaming freely. There is no sense of safety any more.' She says she almost forgot Eid was coming. 'There's no food, no signs, nothing that tells you Eid is here. We eat rice and macaroni when we can find it. Vegetables aren't even available most of the time. I've lived through wars before, but nothing like this.' 'Worst Eid' In Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Doha Ahmad, 30, tries to keep some semblance of celebration for her daughter 'She kept crying, asking me to buy her new clothes for Eid,' Ms Ahmad tells The National. 'But everything is so expensive, I couldn't afford anything. Still, I took her to the market just to look. I ended up buying her just a T-shirt.' Her daughter was happy with it. But for Ms Ahmad, the moment was bittersweet. 'This is the worst Eid. Even last year, during the war, it was better. We could find food. We made cake. This year, we have nothing.' The item that is missing the most from Eid this year is meat – a crucial part of its sacrifice tradition – with no animals to slaughter and no money to buy meat even if it were available. 'I am not a fan of meat, but I feel now that I really miss meat, and I want to eat meat, as we are deprived from it for more than two months,' Ms Aboud says. The war has stripped Eid of any colour or joy. What remains is only survival, a mother making biscuits out of aid supplements, a single T-shirt, or a quiet moment of prayer before another day of struggle begins. 'I will keep being grateful that I didn't lose anyone and I keep praying for their safety, and really feel sad for the people who lost their beloved one, I hope this war ends soon, so people can keep what remains from their lives,' Ms Mohammed says. And yet, under the rubble and loss, Gaza clings to faith. The Takbirat still echo. Mothers still bake what little they can. Children still smile, even if only for a moment. In a land where everything has been taken, resilience is the one thing that still remains. 'We are abandoned and we are alone. All we want now is for the war to end and to rebuild our lives again,' Ms Ahmad says.
The National
8 hours ago
- The National
Lebanon's new government wins praise for first 100 days but there is a long road ahead
It is vital to look both ways now when crossing Riad Al Solh, a street in downtown Beirut between the parliament and the Grand Serail. In a highly secured zone, for years the only vehicles allowed through were those belonging to Lebanon 's military forces, MPs and the convoy of parliament speaker Nabih Berri racing to attend sessions. Now Riad Al Solh resembles a busy street again, as cars and motorbikes jostle for space. The area was closed off in 2019 amid a wave of anti-government protests, and concrete barriers were erected. While the wall was pulled down in 2022, restrictions still applied in the once-vibrant area that in recent years resembled a closed off fortress. The decision to reopen the area in a bid to restore life 'in the heart of the capital' was taken by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and his new government, which came in following the election of President Joseph Aoun in January. It may seem like an almost inconsequential move in a country that already had such deep-seated problems even before Israel's war last year reduced vast swathes of Lebanon to rubble. But it was a step by the country's new leaders seeking a break from the past and trying to rebuild trust with a population reeling from economic crises, deep divisions, corruption and weak governance. Elected to fanfare, and led by the mild-mannered former ICJ head judge Mr Salam, how is the government performing 100 days after the cabinet gained parliament's confidence? 'It's not about being flashy' Diplomats and humanitarian officials have praised the government's practical steps in the face of the mighty tasks ahead. Multiple western diplomatic sources said they were optimistic about the Lebanon's new government and its genuine effort to make reforms, despite the pressure on it. 'It's not about being flashy,' said a senior humanitarian official in the country. 'It's about good realistic governance.' The source spoke of an increased climate of trust when dealing with the new government compared to its predecessor. 'It does have accomplishments it can be proud of,' Karim Bitar, a professor of international relations at Beirut's Saint Joseph University, said. He cited breakthroughs in the Beirut blast investigation, new appointments to the judiciary, the successful holding of municipal elections, including in areas where Israel continued to bomb, as well as the passing of a banking secrecy law and progress on reforms demanded by the International Monetary Fund to secure a $3 billion loan. The investigation into the 2020 Beirut port blast had been stalled by repeated legal impediments. Now it has not only resumed but the lead investigator has had his powers, which had been stripped by his own boss, fully restored. 'It seems the prosecutor is satisfied with the conditions under which he can act,' a senior government official told The National last month, noting that the investigation had resumed weeks after the arrival of a new government. The Lebanese Army has increased its deployment in south Lebanon as required by the Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire deal last year. Despite that, Israeli attacks on the south continue and they remain entrenched in five points of Lebanese soil. The humanitarian source gave the example of education as a sector that has long been underfunded and reliant on foreign aid. New operating procedures allow the monitoring of teacher and student attendance and the financial management of schools. Small steps admittedly, but this helps to improve confidence in institutions and allows for a stronger argument for investment in a sector long reliant on donors. The basic salaries of teachers have also been increased. While still less than before the economic crisis hit, the current pay level is more sustainable and not fuelled by ad hoc short-term measures, the source said. Daunting task ahead But while there is optimism and some progress, the task ahead is daunting. Hezbollah remains very much armed and a potent threat, despite the push to constrain it. Israel continues to bomb south Lebanon daily and occupy five points. On Thursday night, Israel sent thousands celebrating Eid Al Adha in Beirut's southern suburbs fleeing when it carried out multiple air strikes on the area. And there is no reconstruction plan for a country which needs at least $11 billion to rebuild. The reality is that 100 days are not long enough to undo so many years of damage, especially for a country whose economic crisis in 2019 was blamed on decades of financial mismanagement and corruption by the ruling elite. Gone are the heady days of 2018 when annual GDP was around $55 billion. Now it is less than half that. The billions of dollars of depositors' savings are still stuck in banks with no real plan to recover them. In the autumn, a major investor conference will take place in Beirut, where its hoped that international players will be shown that 'Lebanon is back in business'. But in a country where the effects of disastrous financial mismanagement, corruption and deep rotted instability are constantly felt, how can those from the largest institutions to the smallest business owner be convinced? 'There is no easy answer,' Economy and Trade Minister Amer Bisat told The National. He left his job in New York as the global head of emerging markets at the world's largest asset manager BlackRock to take up his cabinet role this year. 'We have to be realistic, there is no button we can push to go back. It's thorny and complicated.' Observers are also cautious. While progress is promising, it has been slow in some areas or non-existent in others. Crucially, with parliamentary elections only a year away, the cabinet has only around 12 months of its mandate left. 'Definitely the government is trying to do its job, it's arguably one of the best governments [in recent years],' said Prof Bitar. 'However, this government has a life expectancy that is relatively short.' While the senior humanitarian source was full of praise for the new ministers, they conceded that the deep-rooted state bureaucracy is still a nightmare. Bold, almost vague, promises by Mr Salam to finally implement the 1989 Taif Accord and respect the constitution have not happened. So while the government could be remembered as one that made important changes, it is one that has only so much time left. There are no guarantees Mr Salam will be Prime Minister after next year's elections. However, it is likely the traditional ruling parties will still be represented in parliament, and there are no guarantees that the well-intentioned steps this government has taken will be continued. 'I don't think that small and quick steps will bring back the confidence of investors,' said Mr Bisat. 'What will bring it back will be that investors know we are fixing these issues. 'I am certain of that, I am certain that if we do our jobs and [meet our] obligations, we will be able to bring the economy back. But we need to convince investors we are doing our homework. 'The good news is we've started, especially through the working plan that the Prime Minister, President and government has put forward of how we will address these files.'
The National
12 hours ago
- The National
Aftermath of Israeli air strike revealed after Beirut building reduced to rubble
The National reports from the scene of an overnight air strike on the Lebanese capital
