PM Salam from Tyre: Lebanese government is working on three main tracks to recovery

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, on his first stop to South Lebanon, said the government is working on three main tracks: continuing relief efforts, launching reconstruction, and creating the conditions for long-term economic and social recovery.

Speaking from the coastal city of Tyre, Salam said the challenges facing the south remain significant, but stressed the state is determined to overcome them.

He pointed to what he described as daily Israeli attacks on border towns, calling them an assault on the dignity of Lebanese citizens. Salam said the visit was aimed at reaffirming the state’s presence in the south and signaling a commitment to changing the situation on the ground.

Salam said the rights of residents in South Lebanon are a national right that cannot be divided, and insisted reconstruction is a continuing obligation rather than a seasonal promise.

On immediate relief, he said the government is working to expand direct support for temporary housing through cash assistance to help displaced families pay rent, in coordination with the Ministry of Social Affairs.

On the economic and social front, Salam said the government will prioritize job creation, reviving local economies, and supporting cooperatives and farmers. He said Lebanon has secured 35 million euros in grants from the European Union, France, and Denmark to support recovery efforts, with a particular focus on agriculture.

On reconstruction, Salam said the government is working to rehabilitate infrastructure and public property, including schools, hospitals, government buildings, electricity and water networks, and roads.

He said Lebanon has secured $250 million in concessional loans from the World Bank and 75 million euros from the French Development Agency to support these efforts.