Caretaker Lebanese Minister of Public Works, Ali Hamieh. (Credit: AFP archive photo.)
BEIRUT — Former Minister of Public Works Ali Hamieh was appointed Tuesday as advisor to President Joseph Aoun on reconstruction affairs, according to information obtained by L'Orient Today.
Hamieh’s appointment is notable given his affiliation with Hezbollah, at a time when President Aoun is calling for all weapons — including those of Hezbollah — to be brought under state control.
The issue of reconstruction funding is a subject of debate, with some parties arguing that the state should not bear the cost, given that it did not make the decision to open the front with Israel — a move unilaterally taken by Hezbollah on Oct. 8, 2023. Some donor countries, including the United States, are conditioning reconstruction aid on the disarmament of Hezbollah throughout Lebanon, not just south of the Litani River.
On Monday, Finance Minister Yassine Jaber stated that the beginning of the reconstruction process of areas devastated by the recent war between Hezbollah and Israel was not linked to the state monopoly on arms and to Hezbollah's disarmament, but "to reforms." On this matter, he said that within 10 days, the vice-governor of the Central Bank and the Banking Supervision Committee of the Central Bank would be appointed. Lebanon expects to "receive $1 billion out of the $7 billion needed for reconstruction."
Also on Monday, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that “the government needs more than $7 billion” for reconstruction, noting that “the World Bank estimates approach $14 billion.”
In April, Lebanese Foreign Minister Joe Rajji said that Lebanon “has been clearly informed that no international aid or reconstruction will take place without exclusive state control of weapons both north and south of the Litani River."