The Ministerial Committee for Reconstruction and Economic Recovery held its meeting at the Grand Serail under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam. The committee reaffirmed the government’s commitment to accelerate the reconstruction of what was destroyed by the Israeli aggression despite ongoing attacks and scarce public and international funding, emphasizing that remaining stagnant is not an option.

The strategy for recovery and reconstruction focuses on preserving the dignity of affected citizens and ensuring their basic rights, relying on more sustainable reconstruction plans that guarantee transparency and enhance citizens’ trust in their state.

The strategy concentrates on three parallel tracks: strengthening the resilience of returnees to their villages and internally displaced Lebanese through social financial assistance aimed at supporting livelihoods and providing temporary shelter; launching urgent procedures to restore basic infrastructure and support economic and livelihood initiatives; and preparing a socio-economic development program for war-affected areas as a first phase of a broader national strategy.

Implementation will depend on three sources: grants, loans, and the general budget, with each government administration responsible for part of the tasks according to its jurisdiction. Regarding housing and shelter, the Ministry of Social Affairs will launch the “Cash for Rent” program in October 2025, alongside budget allocations for the South Council and the Higher Relief Commission to support damaged residential buildings.

In social empowerment, the Ministry of Social Affairs continues implementing the “Cash Transfers” program targeting 265,000 internally displaced Lebanese, which started in July 2025 for six months, until gradual integration into the “Aman” program.

Simultaneously, in the economic field, UN agencies are implementing several development projects in coordination with relevant ministries and the Council for Development and Reconstruction, which supervises the GATE loan (USD 200 million from the World Bank) aimed at modernizing the agricultural sector, developing rural infrastructure, and supporting farmers and small enterprises.

Regarding infrastructure, the Council also supervises the LEAP loan (USD 250 million pending approval by the Parliament, in addition to EUR 75 million funding from the French Development Agency) dedicated to rebuilding war-damaged infrastructure and restoring essential services.

The Prime Minister concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to advancing the reconstruction and economic recovery workshop and continuing follow-up with major donors on preparations for the upcoming international conference to support Lebanon, previously announced by French President Emmanuel Macron.