Inter-Ministerial support to the development of the National ICZM Strategy in Lebanon

Strong support and interest were expressed today, on April 19^th 2024. during the online Introductory Consultations on updating the National ICZM Strategy for Lebanon. Due to the current situation, PAP/RAC and the partners of the MedProgramme C.P. 2.1 Blue Plan and GWP-Med launched this consultation with the key stakeholders and representatives of the Lebanese government online. Actually, PAP/RAC’s project team, led by company ELARD and the Marine and Coastal Resources Program, Institute of the Environment from the University of Balamand, has already gotten used to working online during the last 5 months. PAP/RAC’s team of 14 experts in 10 different disciplines, recently enlarged with 2 Plan Bleu experts, has been navigating through the Establishment and Analysis stage, mostly discussing online. So, at this event, in addition to the representative Ministry of Environment (PAP/RAC NFP) and Ministry of Energy and Water, previously involved in the project, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Directorate General for Urban Planning and Directorate General for Land and Maritime Transport), the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Defense and the National Institute for Remote Sensing participated in the event. Participants, previously identified as the key stakeholders for coastal management in Lebanon, were invited to join an Inter-Ministerial ICZM Group, aiming to co-create the National ICZM Strategy and the ICZM Law together with the PAP/RAC expert team, and all partners of the MedProgramme CP2.1.