By NNN-KUNA
Beirut : The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) has signed with the Lebanese government 14 agreements to finance various development projects in Lebanon.
The deals involved some USD 5.74 million. They are part of the USD 300 million assistance pledged by Kuwait to Lebanon following the July, 2006 Israeli aggression on Lebanon.
The deals were signed by KFAED Director-General Abdul-Wahab Al-Bader and chief of Lebanon’s Higher Relief Commission Maj-Gen Yahya Raad with Lebanese Minister of Education and Higher Education Khaled Qabbani and Kuwait Ambassador Abdul-Al Al-Qana’e attending. Dozens of celebrities and envoys of local aid-recipient societies attended the signing ceremony Tuesday.
Kuwait is one of the leading donors to Lebanon, Raad said during the ceremony. “The USD 300 million assistance set aside by Kuwait following the July aggression helped reconstruct Lebanon and restore its ravaged infrastructure,” he pointed out.
“The two sides signed a memo on management of the funds to ensure making best possible use of them.
“Tuesday’s accords cover 14 development projects across Lebanon in the areas of infrastructure, power, education, healthcare, water conservation and agriculture,” Raad disclosed.
Meanwhile, Al-Bader said KFAED planned to strike 10 deals with Lebanon on Wednesday to finance other small-size development projects in different parts of Lebanon. “The deals involve USD 65 million that will be channeled to projects in north and south Lebanon as well as the Western Biqa’,” he added.
For his part, Minister of Education and Higher Education Khaled Qabbani expressed gratitude to the Kuwaiti Emir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti government and people for the generous donations to his country. “The assistance shows the humanitarian and civilised face of Kuwait.
“They come at a time when Lebanon is in dire need of assistance,” Qabbani added.