World Bank announces Lebanon, Syria reconstruction projects

A bulldozer clears rubble at the scene of a double explosion in the northern rebel-held city of Idlib on June 21, 2018. [AFP] The World Bank announced yesterday it had approved $250 million (Sh32.5 billion) to support Lebanon's post-war reconstruction and a $146 million (Sh18.98 billion) grant to rehabilitate neighbouring Syria's electricity sector. Lebanon is reeling from last year's devastating war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, while Syria faces massive needs after Islamist-led forces toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, capping a 14-year civil war. "The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved yesterday a $250 million financing to Lebanon to support the most urgent repair and reconstruction of damaged critical public infrastructure and lifeline services, and the sustainable management of rubble in conflict-affected areas," it said in a statement. The bank had previously estimated the costs of post-war reconstruction and recovery in Lebanon at around $11 billion (Sh1.43 trillion). Jean-Christophe Carret, the World Bank Middle East Department's division director, said that "given Lebanon's large reconstruction needs, the (project) is structured as a $1 billion (Sh130 billion) scalable framework with an initial $250 million contribution from the World Bank". Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the decision, calling the project "a key step in reconstruction by responding to damage to critical infrastructure and essential services in war-affected areas". "This support strengthens recovery efforts within the State-led implementation framework and leverages much-needed additional financing," he said. More than a year of hostilities between the Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel, including a full-blown war that began in September, ended with a ceasefire agreement in late November. The conflict caused massive destruction across Lebanon, particularly in Hezbollah strongholds in the country's south and east and Beirut's southern suburbs, and further exacerbated economic woes caused by an economic crisis that started in 2019. Reconstruction remains one of the greatest challenges facing Lebanon's government, with Beirut seeking foreign aid to finance the post-war recovery. Syria In a separate statement, the World Bank said it had approved a $146 million grant to Syria from the International Development Association "to help restore reliable, affordable electricity and support the country's economic recovery". The grant will finance the rehabilitation of high-voltage transmission lines and transformer substations damaged during the civil war, and the acquisition of spare parts and maintenance equipment, according to the statement. "Among Syria's urgent reconstruction needs, rehabilitating the electricity sector has emerged as a critical, no-regret investment that can improve the living conditions of the Syrian people," Carret said. It would also "support the return of refugees and the internally displaced, enable resumption of other services such as water services and healthcare for the population, and help kickstart economic recovery", he added. "This project represents the first step in a planned increase in World Bank support to Syria on its path to recovery and development." Syria's war since 2011 has devastated the country's infrastructure, with daily power cuts lasting hours. The grant comes after Saudi Arabia and Qatar said they would pay off Syria's World Bank debt, and as the country's new rulers press reconstruction efforts following the lifting of Western sanctions. The UN estimates Syria's reconstruction to cost over $400 billion (Sh52 trillion).

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