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BACKGROUND
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Israel's July 2006 war inflicted
severe devastation on Lebanon's
human and physical resources. The trail of devastation has left the cou=
ntry
with a series of serious rehabilitation, reconstruction and recovery ch=
allenges.
Significantly, the leading challenges to recovery efforts are poverty a=
nd
unemployment.
This war has mobilized Arab and international, public and private entit=
ies
from every domain and specialization to participate in Lebanon's
reconstruction and development. Counting on donors' commitment to the
national rebuilding process, the UN Economic and Social Commission for =
Western Asia (UN-ESCWA) is eager to harness and
retain this momentum.
Drawing from a long working relationship with public and civic entities=
in
the region, UN-ESCWA has endeavored to create a shared development visi=
on
for the comprehensive rebuilding process leading to a viable nation
sustained by a capable state. Within this framework, the UN-ESCWA will
partner with International Fairs and Promotions (IFP) to organize the
Arab-International Forum on the Rebuilding and Revival of Lebanon.
Through this Forum, UN-ESCWA seeks to establish long-lasting and mutual=
ly
beneficial partnerships between concerned Arab and private sector entit=
ies,
on one hand, and their Lebanese counterparts, on the other. The Forum is
meant to create common space for mechanisms matching regional resources
with local needs. It will actively support formulating and implementing
initiatives for needed resources and expertise through setting up
quasi-permanent modalities of cooperation and information exchange.
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CHALLENGES
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•
Effort to repair and rehabilitate the basic physical infrastructure that
was so selectively but comprehensively destroyed during the war must be
continued and completed.
• The large overlap between the geography of poverty and the
geography of destruction necessitates special reconstruction and revival
programs aimed at building local capacity for poverty alleviation and
employment creation
• Social and economic imbalances experienced during past
reconstruction efforts pose an additional challenge and should be
redressed.
• Employment generation programs must be established and implemen=
ted
to provide strong links between relief and development, as well as betw=
een
reconstruction and people's aspirations and participation.
• The profuse loss of the highly skilled Lebanese workforce and
talent should end and the outflow should be reversed into an influx.
• A transparent and participatory governance regime to oversee the
reconstruction and revival programs should be established and enhanced
under government leadership.
• Donors must be encouraged to deal with a central facility that
privileges the role of state institutions.
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OBJECTIVES
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The
Forum aims to achieve the following objectives:
1. Enhancing support of Arab and international private sector for Lebanon's
recovery and long-term sustainable development.
2. Providing platform from which Arab and international private entities
can establish long-term viable and mutually beneficial partnerships with
their Lebanese counterparts.
3. Launching specific initiatives and development projects to support <=
st1:country-region
w:st=3D"on">Lebanon's
reconstruction efforts.
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MAIN THEMES AND TOPICS
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The Forum will launch specific initiatives and
development projects that will support =
Lebanon's recovery and
reconstruction efforts and long-term sustainable development.
The Forum will be a three-day, high-level meetin
focusing on four main Themes. It is set to include keynote addresses,
plenary sessions and parallel workshops.
Investing in Lebanon: Opportunities and Potentials
• Arab and International support to the rebuilding of Lebanon
• Lebanese government reconstruction program
• UN-ESCWA’s Perspective: Seizing Lebanese rebuilding momen=
tum
to rebuild a nation
The Role of the Lebanese Private Sector and its Arab Counterparts
• The appeal of Lebanon for the Arab private sector
• Social responsibility and rebuilding efforts of the private sec=
tor
• Success Stories on Current Partnerships
• Mechanisms and areas of potential partnerships
The Role of Lebanese expatriates in Rebuilding Lebanon
• Lebanese business expatriates and their home country
• Main challenges and mechanisms for effective partnerships
• Case studies and success stories
Lebanese-Arab and International Private Partnerships: Selected Secto=
rs
• Opportunities and challenges
• Initiatives and Projects
Rounds tables will be held in the following sectors:
- Housing, Construction and Infrastructures
- Agriculture and Agro-Business
- Industry
- Information and communication technology
- Tourism
The workshops will bring together private sector companies from Lebanon,
the Arab world and overseas, in addition to public sector and civic
entities as well as municipalities concerned with socio-economic
development policies and activities.
Each workshop will focus on the needs and priorities of a particular
sector. A representative of the concerned Lebanese authorities or a
representative from a leading Lebanese company will lead the discussion=
.
Representatives of interested Arab and foreign companies will be given =
the
opportunity to present their company profile and specific fields of
specialization. Partnership opportunities will be explored.
Workshops will conclude with presentations on particular initiatives or
projects that would contribute to socio-economic development efforts in=
Lebanon.
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Recommendations
of the Forum
Summing up will be during the last session of the Forum in which a set =
of
action-oriented recommendations and follow up mechanisms will be drafted
and presented. The last session will also be utilized for announcing new
initiatives and programs through which a new outlook to Arab-Lebanese
cooperation will be launched.
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PARTICIPANTS
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Every
entity, person or party having the will and ability to contribute to the
revival of Lebanon, and to work with partners, and to launch tangible
initiatives and implement them will be invited to participate in the Fo=
rum.
Representatives of various entities are expected to take part in the Fo=
rum,
from the Lebanese government and the Lebanese and Arab civil society,
including professional unions, private sector institutions, academic
centers and non-governmental organizations to Lebanese diaspora communi=
ty
and institutions, Arab funds and financial institutions, regional
organizations, United Nations bodies and agencies, other international
organizations concerned, donors and eminent persons and experts.
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DATE AND VENUE
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The
Forum will be held in Biel conference
facilities, Beirut,
from 3 - 5 June 2008.
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ORGANIZING ENTITIES
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The
Forum is jointly organized by ESCWA and the International Fairs and
Promotions (IFP).
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FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS
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The
participation of experts invited to present papers will be financed by =
the
co-sponsors. Representatives of national, regional and international or=
ganizations
and other participants are expected to participate at their own expense=
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LANGUAGE
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Arabic
and English will be the working languages of the Forum. Simultaneous
interpretation in both languages will be provided.
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CORRESPONDENCE=
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All correspondence related to the Forum =
are
to be addressed to ESCWA through:
Antoine Mansour
Head, Emerging and Conflict Related Issues (ECRI)
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
P.O. Box: 11-8575
Beirut, Lebanon
Email: escwa-ecri@un.org
Fax: (961-1) 981510
Tel: (961-1) 981301, 981311, 981401
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