Health expenditure increased by 70 percent in 16 years. Significant shortage of nurses

Health expenditures increased by 70 percent in the last 16 years, according to the 'Lebanon Economic Report' published by the World Bank.

Health spending per capita rose from $361 in 1995 to $621 in 2011, which is higher than the MENA average of $220. As a share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the country's health expenditures remain quite high despite falling from 10.7 percent in 1995 to 6.6 percent in 2011.

According to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), the health bill ...

Article details

Wastewater projects receive a $100 million boost. Akkar, Chouf, Bekaa, and Arkoub are target areas

Parliament approved on November 13 a loan agreement with the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development to complete miscellaneous wastewater projects.

The loan, valued at 30 million Kuwaiti Dinars (around $100 million), will be paid back over a period of 18 years, with a grace period of five years, with a yearly interest of three percent.

The loan will be used to develop a 108 kilometer-long wastewater network through 20 villages in Akkar. This includes 27 km of additional seco...

Article details

High-income consumers willing to pay $7 per mobile. Market opportunities for Arabic apps

High-income earners are willing to pay more than $7 to purchase a mobile app, according to a study prepared by local ArabNet, in collaboration with On Device Research.

The report said that this represents an opportunity for app developers and publishers to create higher-value, high-priced apps to cater to this market segment.

The most common amount paid for in-app purchases is between $1 and $4.99. More than 40 percent of respondents said they make one-off in-app purchases to obta...

Article details

Cooperation office in Oman by Chamber of Commerce. Interest in manufacture, agriculture, and tourism

The Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture in Beirut and Mount Lebanon (CCIA-BML) plans to open an office for economic cooperation in the Sultanate of Oman. A similar office will also open at the CCIA-BML headquarters in Beirut for bilateral cooperation.

Chadi Massaad, Chairman of the Lebanese Omani Business Council, said that Said ben Saleh al-Kayyoumi, Chairman of the Omani Chamber, promised to raise the issue soon to the Council of Ministers for approval.

Mohammad Chouca...

Article details

Country needs $6.2 billion in infrastructure. Public-private partnership highly recommended

Spending on infrastructure through Public Private Partnerships (PPP) would stimulate the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the medium and long terms, according to Ziad Hayek, the Secretary General of the Higher Council for Privatization.

He said: "Lebanon needs $6.2 billion in the sectors of power, water, transport, and services, through PPP."

Hayek, who was speaking at a workshop at the Basil Fleihan Institute, said that these investments would boost GDP growth by 4.4 percent. A sp...

Article details

Industrialists: To sort trash before it is exported. Recycling factories are at risk of closing

The Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALI) called for sorting the garbage before exporting, if the Government adopts the exporting option.

Fadi Gemayel, Chairman of ALI, said: "We refuse exporting the garbage without sorting it, as this will impact the economy, mainly the industry, and local labor."

This request from ALI comes after the failure in implementing the municipalities' decentralization plan and proposing the export of garbage.

According to ALI around 30 pe...

Article details

Industrialists bidding to manage Iraqi factories. Iraq’s Government showing clear interest in involving Lebanese

Lebanese industrialists have the opportunity now to invest in rehabilitating and managing Iraqi factories owned by the public sector, which had been closed or had their production halted for the past several years. More than 33 factories are open for private management.

Fadi Gemayel, Chairman of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALI), said: "The Iraqi Government has shown interest in involving Lebanese industrialists in the management of these factories."

The Iraqi Govern...

Article details

Saida’s new port completes first phase. Old port to open only to fishermen

The first phase of a new port in the Dekerman area, at the southern entrance of Saida has been completed.

It includes a 150 meter-long dock and a one-kilometer long jetty. The quay has an area of 200,000 square meters and a depth of 15 meters, which is suitable for medium sized vessels. This phase cost $17 million and took two and a half years to complete.

The second phase is awaiting the 'Order to Proceed' by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MoPWT). Upon the port's com...

Article details