Despite a year of war, Lebanon’s foreign trade stands strong

Nearly four weeks after a series of Israeli strikes on the Masnaa border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, no redevelopment efforts have been launched, and the road remains impassable for vehicles.It is “yet another obstacle,” said Ibrahim Tarchichi, president of the Bekaa Farmers' Union, who highlighted the importance of this post for the area's economic players. However, according to Antoine Hoayek, president of Lebanon's Farmers' Union, “the economic impact remains limited,” despite the crossing handling over 60 percent of Lebanon's agricultural exports.“Since the day after the strike, a significant portion of transit traffic has been redirected to the two northern border posts, Arida and Abboudieh in Akkar,” he said. “This route adds about four hours to the journey, but aside from this slight delay and added costs, there's no...