Aoun promises industrialists tighter control on cross-border smuggling

BEIRUT — Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday promised a delegation from the Bekaa Industrialists Association stronger and improved border controls to curb smuggling, which affects local production and consumption.

During a visit by the association’s delegation, Aoun announced that authorities are working on “modernizing customs scanners and strengthening border control.”

Highlighting the importance of industry as “a key driver of the economy,” Aoun also pledged to “ensure the protection of national industry through the necessary legislation.”

“Our goal is for our exports to equal or even surpass our imports in the future,” he said.

In July, Finance Minister Yassine Jaber, whose ministry oversees customs, said that work was underway to install scanners at the ports of Beirut and Tripoli, ahead of their "upcoming" commissioning. These machines should allow inspection of products from 60 containers per hour, up from 40 previously. Management of Lebanese customs is included in a reform plan presented by the International Monetary Fund to fight corruption in Lebanon’s financial system.