Lebanon's Environment Minister meets French ambassador to discuss expanding environmental cooperation, partnerships and investment

Environment Minister Tamara El Zein met French Ambassador to Lebanon Patrick Durel to discuss expanding environmental cooperation between Lebanon and France, with a focus on attracting French and European investment in waste management, as well as cooperation on health, climate, air quality and institutional development.

El Zein said the ministry is working to align international cooperation and funding with Lebanon’s national priorities and most urgent needs, while avoiding overlapping projects and ensuring more effective use of available resources.

Waste management was a key focus of the meeting. El Zein said the ministry had addressed obstacles that have long discouraged investment in the sector, including unclear regulatory and financial frameworks. 

She cited the updated National Integrated Solid Waste Management Strategy, the appointment of the National Solid Waste Management Authority, the adoption of the cost-recovery law and its decrees, and the launch of several projects in the Bekaa, north and south.

She said the measures aim to create a more stable environment for French and European companies specializing in waste treatment to invest in Lebanon and transfer technology and expertise, while improving treatment capacity and reducing the burden on the state and municipalities.

El Zein also highlighted a project the French Development Agency (AFD) is preparing for submission to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and discussed expanding cooperation on climate financing.

The meeting also addressed the Environment Ministry’s new organizational structure, developed in cooperation with France, and the need to continue training ministry staff following Parliament’s approval of the related law.

On air quality, El Zein said the ministry is preparing to launch an air-quality monitoring network in Beirut as a first step toward a nationwide system providing reliable scientific data for policymaking, noting the potential to draw on French expertise.

El Zein reiterated that the ministry aims to build long-term partnerships aligned with Lebanon’s priorities and led by state institutions, turning those priorities into projects that can attract financing, expertise, technology, and investment.