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Lebanon needs political stability and dialogue before it can begin rebuilding from the $10 billion in damage and destruction caused by Israel’s war on Hezbollah, Environment Minister and head of the government emergency committee Nasser Yassin told The National in an interview.
Last week, US President Joe Biden announced a ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon, bringing an end to the conflict with Hezbollah, which claimed more than 4,000 Lebanese lives and destroyed entire villages.
However, hundreds of thousands of Lebanese are displaced after their homes were left in ruins, while the country, already grappling with a years-long economic crisis, faces further challenges as sectors such as healthcare have suffered severe blows, limiting their ability to adequately respond to the emergency.
“We need to have more stability in the country, we need to have more dialogue between the different entities in Lebanon before we actually move to start the reconstruction,” said Mr Yassin, who was speaking on the sidelines of the annual Doha Forum conference in the Qatari capital.
“We have to elect, hopefully early next year, a new [president] and government. All of these are needed for reforms to be enacted. If reforms are enacted, then we can actually move towards the whole. It’s a long journey of reconstruction and rehabilitation and reform that we need to do, but this needs to start.”
Lebanon has been without a president since October 2022. The US, France, and other countries have been calling for the election of a head of state to avoid a power vacuum and help to stabilise the country's political life. US envoy Amos Hochstein, who mediated the ceasefire talks between Hezbollah and Israel, said that the election of the president is vital for Lebanon.
The country's deeply divided parliament, where no faction holds a majority, has repeatedly failed to agree on a successor to Michel Aoun. Last week, the state news agency announced that a session would be held on January 9, marking the first presidential election attempt since June last year, when votes were largely split between Jihad Azour and Suleiman Frangieh, neither of whom drew enough support to win.
Lebanese official sources in Beirut told The National earlier that the country “must” elect a president during the first 60-day truce with Israel as part of the ceasefire deal that ended the war with Hezbollah.
Assessing the damages
The war that started on October 8 last year, a day after Hamas launched unprecedented attacks in Israel, escalated in September with Israel intensifying its military campaign against Hezbollah. These actions included air strikes and a ground invasion aimed at degrading its capabilities, which had been significantly bolstered in recent years. Israel's war killed thousands of civilians.
Mr Yassin, whose team led the government emergency plan during the all-out war, said it was not clear yet the time frame to rebuild and that the financial cost is now at about $10 billion but it could be more.
“We know that's in the range of $10 billion, but we're still assessing the damages now so this will take us more [time] to understand,” he said, adding that the government is dedicating funds for basic emergency services.
“This will definitely need and require aid to flow from friends of Lebanon. We cannot have it. I mean, this is almost half of the GDP in Lebanon.”
Several Lebanese political sources said the aid, especially from the Gulf countries, could be preconditioned on a stable political life and a bigger security role for the army inside the country and at the border areas.
Lebanon is also facing the threat of Israel breaking the ceasefire, with several Lebanese killed by Israeli fire during the past week, before an overseeing committee that has representatives from the US, France, Lebanon, Israel, and the UN started its work in the last two days.
“Things are moving. We really want to push to get this mechanism to work and to have the Lebanese army being deployed all over the south,” said the minister.
Syria's war
During the height of the war, the emergency committee worked with international agencies and civil society to maintain the system and help more than one million displaced people find shelter, according to Mr Yassin. This was also supported by the quick aid that kept flowing from countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and others.
“They really helped us fill the huge gap because they were coming quickly by planes.”
One day after the ceasefire in Lebanon was reached, the civil war in neighbouring Syria was reignited with a lightning offensive launched by rebel forces to take major cities out of the hands of the army, pushing thousands of people to flee, with many heading to Lebanon and more expected.
“This will be tough for Lebanon if we are going to be open again to an influx of Syrian refugees. Lebanon already is hosting a million plus, maybe around 400,000 or 500,000 left,” said Mr Yassin.
“So, if you expect people coming back for an already displaced Lebanese community – keep in mind 100,000 houses are destroyed or damaged, at least half a million Lebanese need shelter and support – it will add more with the weaknesses that we have at the moment in the health system and the social system and the infrastructure and every other system.
“We’re going to face a lot, a lot of challenges, and we really cannot do it. Lebanon cannot take this responsibility again on its shoulders.”
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
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Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
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Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
RESULTS
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner AF Nashrah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Mutaqadim, Riccardo Iacopini, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
6pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Hameem, Jose Santiago, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner AF Almomayaz, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Dalil Al Carrere, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash.
7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Lahmoom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Jayide Al Boraq, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.
The Abu Dhabi Awards explained:
What are the awards? They honour anyone who has made a contribution to life in Abu Dhabi.
Are they open to only Emiratis? The awards are open to anyone, regardless of age or nationality, living anywhere in the world.
When do nominations close? The process concludes on December 31.
How do I nominate someone? Through the website.
When is the ceremony? The awards event will take place early next year.
RACE CARD
6.30pm Mazrat Al Ruwayah – Group 2 (PA) $36,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Turf) 2,410m
7.40pm Meydan Trophy – Conditions (TB) $50,000 (T) 1,900m
8.15pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 - Group 2 (TB) $293,000 (D) 1,900m
8.50pm Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m
9.25pm Handicap (TB) $65,000 (T) 1,000m
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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