Key priorities in PM Salam’s Bekaa visit: Cannabis reform, border control and security

Report by Wissam Nasrallah, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s recent tour along the Lebanese-Syrian border focused on the implementation of the border agreement, which Saudi Arabia sponsored in March. 

During the visit, Salam inspected several centers, barracks, and watchtowers, accompanied by the ministers of defense, interior, public works, and the army chief of staff.

While reviewing the security situation at the Baalbek Serail with the Subcommittee of the Security Council, Salam noted that despite the calm within the Serail, Israeli airspace violations continued.

While the Prime Minister emphasized the need for security measures to ensure the smooth conduct of municipal and electoral elections, Israeli air force jets were flying over Baalbek and carrying out airstrikes in southern Lebanon. Salam commented on the situation, highlighting the ongoing threats.

In Baalbek, a city long associated with cannabis cultivation, Salam announced that efforts to establish a regulatory body for cannabis are underway, aiming to boost tourism in the region. 

At the Al-Masnaa border crossing, a key entry point for the Bekaa and Lebanon, he examined security measures and underscored the importance of maintaining the smooth operation of official border crossings to protect the national economy. 

Salam revealed plans to install advanced inspection devices at crossings to facilitate the legal flow of goods and support the export of Lebanese products by land.

The tour concluded in Zahle, where Salam held another meeting with the Subcommittee of the Security Council at the Zahle Serail. 

The visit reinforced the message that the Bekaa region, like all areas of Lebanon, remains a top priority for security and development.