Sleiman hails World Bank’s efforts to provide Lebanon with assistance

President Michel Sleiman reiterated Thursday his appreciation to the measures set to be implemented by the World Bank in order to help Lebanon, praising the unprecedented speed in finalizing the report concerning Lebanon’s needs to cope with the issue of the Syrian refugees.    

Sleiman’s comments came during his meeting with the vice President of the Middle East and North Africa at the World Bank Inger Andersen and World Bank Director for the Middle East Ferid Belhaj.    

For her part, Andersen noted that the bank is seeking to provide Lebanon with a wider international assistance, pointing out that the annual meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund is set to be held next week with the participation of a Lebanese delegation.    

On another note, Sleiman received a delegation of Akkar deputies and families of the victims of the Indonesian boat, who called for facilitating the return of the survivors.    

In this regard, the president met with the acting Cassation Prosecutor, Judge Samir Hammoud who informed him of the judicial measures taken in the case of the Indonesian boat.      

On Friday September 26, dozens of Lebanese nationals hailing from the towns of Akkar were reported dead after a boat carrying them to Australia sank off the coast of Indonesia.          

Preliminary information showed that an Iraqi national known as Abou Salah was in charge of transferring the persons to Indonesia before reaching Australia.