Council for Development and Reconstruction: Lebanon's rebuilding efforts and the rise of unchecked power

Report by Joe Farchakh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

In 1977, after the "Two-Year War" and the devastation it left behind, the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) was established to replace the then-Ministry of General Planning. 

This decision followed a demand from the Arab community at the time for a single entity to handle the planning, funding, and implementation of projects.

The goal was to rebuild Lebanon with an independent developmental plan through an institution that was not politically beholden and free from the interests of the political class.

According to its founding decree, the CDR was tasked with establishing a work plan, formulating a basic framework, setting a timeline for reconstruction, and designing and planning projects. 

It was also responsible for securing funding for proposed projects, attracting loans from international donors, and managing these funds to finance the projects. Additionally, the CDR was charged with implementing the projects.

The council began executing major projects, from planning to funding and implementation. 

Its powers rapidly grew unchecked, particularly during the tenure of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, as the council operated without significant government oversight.

The CDR is not accountable to the prime minister but to the Cabinet, which exposes it to political maneuvering that disrupts its work through the vetoes of politicians—referred to as "cheese eaters" by former President Fouad Chehab—who sought to carve out portions for themselves from state projects.

As the issues mounted, so did suspicions.

The appointment of a new president and members for the CDR is, first and foremost, an international demand, following the massive waste and corruption in the management of aid funds after the 2006 July war. 

However, these new appointments are not sufficient to activate the CDR's work; there must also be enhanced oversight through the Parliament, the Court of Audit, and the Central Inspection Authority, which has not occurred since the 1990s.

So, will the experience of 1977 repeat itself in 2025, with the responsibility for planning, funding, and implementing reconstruction projects concentrated in one entity?