Social Affairs Minister Hanine Sayed during a tour in Sour, on Oct. 24, 2025. (Credit: National News Agency)
Social Affairs Minister Hanine Sayed said Friday, during a tour in Sour, that “a comprehensive strategy for reconstruction and recovery is being prepared” for southern Lebanon, which has been devastated by 13 months of war between Hezbollah and Israel and is still regularly bombarded by the Israeli army despite the cease-fire.
Stating that her Ministry is working “within the limits of available resources to support the south of the country,” Sayed specified that the plan includes “projects ready to be implemented in the affected areas, notably the one funded by the World Bank for $250 million, which is now in its final preparatory phase, as well as an agricultural project being implemented by the Council for Development and Reconstruction.”
The WB loan is still pending Parliament's passage of the associated law.
The minister also expressed her “deep appreciation for the resilience of the South and its inhabitants in the face of aggression,” stressing that “the region has endured many hardships as a result of repeated Israeli violations of international principles and agreements.”
She added that her Ministry “is undertaking the gradual rehabilitation of damaged social aid centers in the South so that they can resume services,” also mentioning “recently launched emergency aid programs that cover 260,000 people receiving monthly financial support for six months, in addition to assistance provided to displaced families unable to cover housing expenses.”
Sayed additionally reported a “proposal to rename the Social Affairs Ministry as the Social Development Ministry, pending approval by the Cabinet.”
According to her, “the next phase will see the allocation of funds for local social development, in cooperation with the municipalities of southern Lebanon, in order to boost sustainable growth and improve living conditions for families and local communities.”
Reconstruction efforts, particularly in southern Lebanon, have yet to begin, and residents in the region accuse authorities of inaction.
The international community and donors are providing financial aid to Lebanon and its army, contingent upon economic and institutional reforms, as well as tangible progress on the issue of arms monopoly, including the dismantling of Hezbollah's arsenal.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam acknowledged that the state does not have “sufficient resources” to fund reconstruction, but expressed optimism that an international conference could soon be organized to raise financing.
