Public Works Minister Fayez Rasamny. (Credit: NNA)
Public Works Minister Fayez Rasamny lamented on Saturday that the ongoing Israeli aggressions in Lebanon, despite the truce concluded with Israel, are preventing the mobilization of the international aid essential for the country’s reconstruction.
“I have presented in detail the needs of the Ministry of Public Works, taking into account the damage suffered by several regions due to the war, but the budget remains limited compared to the needs of the entire country, especially in the South. We are therefore seeking additional funding to cover the disaster-stricken areas,” the minister emphasized in an interview with Sputnik radio. “The Lebanese side respects the cease-fire agreement, but Israeli aggressions are preventing the mobilization of aid, which the government is continuously striving to resolve,” he added.
Rasamny also noted “the existence of perfect harmony within the government and the absence of any tension, as well as consensus around a unified action plan to achieve the set objectives.” He continued: “Differences of opinion are natural, but there is consensus on fundamental issues, and the guiding principle remains stability and harmony between the ministers and the prime minister,” even as Shiite ministers oppose the Hezbollah disarmament plan.
Expansion of Beirut airport
Regarding the Beirut airport expansion project, the minister specified that it “will be carried out with the available resources, by reorganizing the airport and making improvements that will allow it to accommodate two million additional passengers.” This measure “will make a notable difference, provided that the work is completed within a year,” he added, noting that the projects have already begun. The ministry “is reviewing requests from airlines for new routes, in order to approve them based on compliance with the required conditions,” Rasamny also stated.
Concerning Qleiaat Airport in northern Lebanon and the start of redevelopment work scheduled for early 2026, the minister stressed that “this issue is very serious and carries responsibilities,” adding that “investments are subject to a careful feasibility study prior to commissioning, in a context of clear investor interest.”
The question of opening a second airport in Lebanon has been debated for many years, and the issue was revived by the government of Nawaf Salam. This infrastructure, created in 1938 by the French army, was placed under the control of the Lebanese army in 1966, which turned it into a military base. It was renamed René Moawad Airport in 1989 in honor of the assassinated president.
New buses donated by China and Qatar
The Public Works Minister also indicated that the ministry is “preparing to address the state of roads within a framework of failing infrastructure, particularly after the last war” between Israel and Hezbollah. “Work began over the summer in anticipation of the winter season, thanks to an integrated plan and the distribution of responsibilities among the relevant ministries,” he explained, noting that “the resilience of infrastructure remains linked to the amount of rainfall, which can cause flooding in certain regions.”
Finally, Rasamny stated that “Lebanon is awaiting the arrival of 32 buses donated by the State of Qatar, while negotiations are ongoing with China to secure an additional donation of 100 buses, which will constitute a qualitative advance for public transport.”
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