The Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers, Dr. Khaled Hanafy, affirmed that Tripoli and North Chamber projects contain the vision of President Tawfiq Daboussi, which we have always dealt with in various aspects with him, which are projects based on strategic and logistical fundamentals that embrace many projects with added value that make Tripoli an attractive hub, and are the result of Tripoli Chamber’s innovations, affiliated with the Lebanese Chambers Union, which in turn is a prominent member of the Union of Arab Chambers, which is the true representative of the Arab private sector
Hanayi's words came during the launch of a partnership between the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Tripoli and the North Tawfiq Dabousi and the General Director of the General Organization for the Promotion of Investments in Lebanon "IDAL" Mazen Sweid, based on IDAL's adoption of the Tripoli Chamber's initiative based on the investment project represented by the Lebanese national economic system from Greater Tripoli, which enjoys regional importance in light of the rebuilding of the Beirut port and the possible integration between the two ports, as well as for studying the economic feasibility of establishing waste in the port of Tripoli to enhance food security and thus the future marketing of the two projects.
Hanafy considered that this huge project makes the port of Tripoli a hub and destination for container operations and the reception of giant ships, by virtue of the large back of the port, and aims to develop, modernize and link it to the maritime and land transport movements in addition to the silos project that achieves food security not only for Lebanon, but for the entire region and the scope of the global economic map, because it will be the focus of a global supply chain, and this is what achieves integration in the economic system and other projects called multimodal transport, and it is a project that we need not only at the national level, but at the level of the Arab region. He added, "We are looking forward to seeing this project be born as soon as possible because of its huge benefits, especially after the current crisis."
He also stressed that "this huge project, if implemented, will make the port of Tripoli a central base among Arab ports, especially since in light of the political and strategic changes in the region where we are witnessing shifts in alliances and balances, there are those who seek to make their ports a hub in the region, and thus what is required today is not to miss an opportunity in light of this feverish race.”
The President of Tripoli and North Chamber, Tawfiq Daboussi, referred to the size and service capabilities that are currently provided by the sea ports in Lebanon and Syria combined, pointing out that they can only provide services to two and a half million containers, while the region needs the movement of 60 million containers. We need the port of Tripoli to be a central attractive destination, and this is what prompted us to conduct a comprehensive study of the sea shores extending from Naqoura to the far reaches of the northern border with Syria, to find that the natural site of the Lebanon Integrated Economic System project is in Greater Tripoli, which is located in lands owned by the Lebanese state, free and extends from Batroun to the far reaches of Akkar.
For his part, the Chairman and General Manager of IDAL, Dr. Mazen Sweid, considered that the integrated economic system involves a huge study and is the first study of this size by the private sector, stressing that we are facing an initiative based on a vision that we must put in its operational framework, especially since our main goal is to attract investors and provide many job opportunities, which is a Lebanese, Arab and international need that meets common interests, especially since we are witnessing in the current stage a great rush to build pioneering partnerships through which we put Tripoli and its major projects on the map of international investment attraction.
In turn, the head of Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group, Raouf Abu Zaki, praised the system, stressing that these investment projects, despite being regional and international, are Lebanese with distinction, and the Union of our Lebanese Chambers has adopted all these projects because we see them as pioneering projects. We always stand by President Daboussi in his national rescue projects that he launches from Greater Tripoli.
Source (Union of Arab Chambers)
