Full Breakdown
Qatar Pledges Funding for Lebanon’s Power Grid and Southern Reconstruction
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Qatar’s Commitment and Planned Projects
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced that Qatar will finance, implement and activate a solar-power project in Lebanon, partnering QatarEnergy with French firm TotalEnergies. The initiative is described as an “initial project” that will later expand into a larger investment benefiting both the Lebanese economy and participating Qatari entities. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the plan will be presented to the Lebanese cabinet soon and that the Qatari side will cover all costs, relieving the Lebanese state of financial burden. The prime minister also indicated that Qatar will work with the United States to lay groundwork for reconstruction in the south, aiming to enable displaced residents to return home.
Background and Economic Context
Lebanon’s state electricity company has accumulated roughly $40 billion in debt since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war, with outdated infrastructure delivering only a few hours of power daily. The country’s broader economic collapse began in 2019, prompting repeated advances from the Central Bank to keep the grid running. Over the past months, Israel’s military actions in southern Lebanon have displaced about 1.2 million people; more than 300,000 remain displaced despite a June ceasefire, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Official Statements & Responses
- “The Qatari side will fund, implement and activate the project without any cost on the Lebanese state,” — Nawaf Salam, Lebanese prime minister.
- “The Qatari side will fund, implement and activate the project without any cost to the Lebanese state,” — Nawaf Salam, Lebanese prime minister.
Both leaders emphasized that the assistance targets Lebanon’s energy sector and the reconstruction of war-damaged southern communities.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The Qatari side will fund, implement and activate the project without any cost on the Lebanese state,” — Nawaf Salam, lebanese prime minister
- “The Qatari side will fund, implement and activate the project without any cost to the Lebanese state,” — Nawaf Salam, lebanese prime minister
