BEIRUT, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon has placed postwar reconstruction at the top of its agenda despite continued Israeli attacks that are slowing recovery efforts, Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny said on Saturday.
"Reconstruction constitutes a top priority for the government and the presidency," Rasamny said, according to the official National News Agency, adding that fieldwork has been repeatedly disrupted by Israeli strikes.
Rasamny said the government has completed detailed assessments of infrastructure damage and developed a clear reconstruction vision, noting that total losses from the recent war may exceed 11 billion U.S. dollars. Lebanon is awaiting a 250-million-dollar World Bank loan to begin rehabilitating key facilities. "This amount is not enough, but it forms a starting point for the reconstruction process," he added.
Rasamny attributed delays in holding international donor conferences to "political conditions and imposed restrictions." He emphasized that Lebanon has respected the ceasefire and is committed to keeping all weapons under state control, while the Lebanese army "continues to fulfill its duties south of the Litani River with positive and acceptable results."
The minister stated that international companies have shown strong interest in partnering to operate Qlayaat Airport in northern Lebanon, citing "real economic feasibility" for the project. He also confirmed that Beirut International Airport remains fully secure and is being upgraded with new equipment, while plans are underway to develop Beirut Port. ■
