LEBANON - Environment Minister Dr. Tamara El Zein has called for sustainable financing solutions for Lebanon’s solid waste management sector, stressing the need to avoid loans and move away from temporary measures that repeatedly burden citizens and the state.
Minister El Zein made the remarks during a meeting with a World Bank delegation at the Ministry of Environment, where officials discussed support for the solid waste sector and cooperation on forest fire prevention.
The delegation included Maria Sarraf, World Bank Environment Practice Manager for the Middle East and North Africa, and Lamia Mansour, Senior Environment Specialist at the World Bank in Lebanon.
Sustainable Waste Management Funding
The meeting focused on reviewing financing mechanisms for the solid waste sector, particularly during the transitional period between adopting reforms and implementing them.
Discussions also addressed strengthening support for the development of the sector and the plans of the National Authority for Solid Waste Management.
Minister Zein stressed that financial support should be linked to an integrated plan that ensures the continuity of waste management services without increasing Lebanon's debt through additional loans.
She said investment in the sector should extend beyond building facilities to include their operation and maintenance, alongside a comprehensive system covering waste reduction, sorting, resource recovery, recycling, treatment and the safe disposal of residual waste.
Such an approach, she said, would address the underlying problem while reducing its long-term environmental and financial costs.
The minister added that Lebanon needs to move beyond repeated temporary interventions and establish a sustainable public service that reduces the burden on both citizens and the state.
Cooperation on Forest Fire Prevention
The meeting also addressed a project to combat forest fires, including its implementation mechanisms and opportunities to strengthen cooperation to protect forest resources and reduce environmental risks.
Discussions included extending the project's duration and expanding its geographical coverage to additional areas.
World Bank representatives praised what they described as significant progress at the Ministry of Environment, commending reforms implemented over recent months.
They said the progress had helped restore confidence and provided a basis for discussing further financial and technical support to translate the reforms into concrete projects.
Both sides agreed to continue coordination on turning the reforms into practical initiatives and securing the support needed to advance waste management plans and forest protection efforts in Lebanon.
