With the collaboration of the ministry of energy and water, the Association of Banks in Lebanon held today a seminar on: “The participation of the private sector in the financing of water infrastructures in Lebanon: role of banks”.

Foreign and Lebanese specialists were present, and both President of the Association, Dr. Joseph Torbey and H.E. Minister of energy and water, Mr. Gebran Bassil inaugurated the seminar.

Dr. Torbey said: “Our Association has responded without hesitation to the wishes of Minister Bassil to organize this seminar with experts and professionals in the field of water and the bank financing of infrastructure. We hope that objective and rich discussions resulting from this gathering will lead to a comprehensive guideline of an eventual cooperation between the private banking sector and the Lebanese State in terms of financing projects’ infrastructure and specially waters….”

Minister Bassil expressed his appreciation to the Association regarding its interest in this seminar which raises the problems of infrastructure. He added: “We must search for a solution to this problem with the Lebanese banking sector in order to ensure the financing of waters’ infrastructure in Lebanon, such as construction of dams… Today, we are gathered here to discuss means that can correct some of the cumulated weaknesses by the rehabilitation of water infrastructure.  Our ministry hopes to see, following this seminar, the Lebanese banking sector willing to finance, even partially, the construction of dams and artificial lakes….” .