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Lebanon’s Minister of Energy Heads to Damascus to Discuss Technical Files

Minister of Energy and Water in the Lebanese caretaker government Walid Fayyad. (Reuters file photo)
Minister of Energy and Water in the Lebanese caretaker government Walid Fayyad. (Reuters file photo)
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Lebanon’s Minister of Energy Heads to Damascus to Discuss Technical Files

Minister of Energy and Water in the Lebanese caretaker government Walid Fayyad. (Reuters file photo)
Minister of Energy and Water in the Lebanese caretaker government Walid Fayyad. (Reuters file photo)

Lebanese caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad headed to Damascus on Monday for a two-day visit to discuss files mainly related to water resources.

Lebanon and Syria are bound by agreements regarding the Orontes River, which arises in eastern Lebanon, flows to Syria and continues into Türkiye. The flooding of the river last year caused major damage to the agricultural fields in Akkar, northern Lebanon.

In a statement, the Ministry of Energy said Fayyad will hold talks with Syrian Minister of Water Resources Hussein Makhlouf with whom he will co-chair a meeting of the Lebanese-Syrian Joint Committee for the Water Sector, in the presence of Secretary General of the Syrian-Lebanese Supreme Council Nasri Khoury.

The two sides will discuss periodic follow-ups of the mechanisms for implementing the Orontes River and the Nahr al-Kabir (Great River) agreements, and ways to preserve the environment of the shared basins and guarantee sustainable and fair investments.

Fayyad and his Syrian counterpart will also touch on cooperation to limit the flooding of the Nahr al-Kabir on the agricultural plains in Akkar, as well as efforts to face the problems of displacement and future projects related to sanitation and irrigation.

On the sidelines of the visit, Fayyad will meet with Syrian Oil Minister Firas Qaddour and Syrian Minister of Electricity Engineer Ghassan Al-Zamil to discuss issues of common interest, according to the ministry’s statement.

A few weeks ago, Fayyad announced his intention to visit Damascus to follow up on issues related to rivers, pledging to improve the operation of the Al-Bared hydroelectric power plant, and to clean the course of the large river.

He also talked about a $5 million funding from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), which will be used to clean the course of the Grand River and increase turbines for the hydroelectric power plant in Nahr al-Bared.

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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)

Dr. Abdul Hakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stated that the organization will take an active role at COP16, the UN conference on combating desertification, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in early December.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he expressed confidence that the conference—the first of its kind in the Middle East—would produce significant outcomes.

Elwaer’s comments came during a roundtable organized by FAO’s regional office in Cairo, attended by a select group of media representatives. The session focused on FAO’s participation in the upcoming conference and the importance of the Rio Trio —the integrated framework of the three major UN conventions addressing climate change, biodiversity conservation, and desertification.

Fida Haddad, FAO’s Program Officer for Land Rehabilitation and Climate Change, highlighted the interconnectedness of the three conventions and noted that COP16 would place a strong emphasis on land and water rehabilitation and their sustainable management.

Haddad pointed out that approximately 90% of the Middle East is affected by arid conditions. Despite this, local communities and Arab governments have made notable progress in addressing desertification and drought. She also announced that, for the first time, FAO has successfully placed food systems on the COP16 agenda, enabling discussions on how land rehabilitation can enhance food supply chains and systems.

Elwaer underscored FAO’s central role in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): eradicating hunger. He emphasized that FAO actively engages in the UN conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification, which collectively contribute to this mission.

FAO’s focus, according to Elwaer, is on transforming food and agricultural systems to become more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable, aiming for better production, nutrition, and livelihoods. He highlighted the organization’s success in integrating these priorities into the agendas of the three conventions and collaborating with host countries on joint initiatives.

He further noted that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of COP16 is particularly significant for the region, which faces pressing challenges such as water scarcity, desertification, and food insecurity. The conference presents an opportunity for Middle Eastern nations to highlight these issues, explore solutions, and ensure their inclusion in global environmental discussions, not only at this event but in future COP sessions, he underlined.

Elwaer emphasized the growing global attention on desertification, as it is now impacting regions previously unaffected, such as southern Europe and parts of Latin America. These areas are witnessing alarming declines in arable land and forests, prompting them to seek lessons from the Arab world, which has developed resilience strategies to combat desertification over centuries.

FAO will have a strong presence at COP16, with two dedicated pavilions—one in the Blue Zone for official delegations and another in the Green Zone to engage civil society and conference participants, he said.

He added that in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the UN, FAO will lead coordination on Food Day and Governance Day, scheduled for December 5 and 6, respectively. The organization will also participate in other specialized sessions throughout the conference.