USAID Lebanon: From the American People
 

PRESS RELEASE

U.S. GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHES BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IN HALBA IN NORTH LEBANON

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Beirut, Lebanon

Ambassador Michele J. Sison and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Lebanon Mission Director Denise A. Herbol joined officials from North Lebanon to open a branch of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture for Tripoli and North Lebanon with an integrated Business Development Services Center at the Municipality of Halba.   In her remarks, the Ambassador highlighted the importance of USAID programs focused on working with municipalities to improve the economic opportunities for their citizens.

Attending the event were the Mayor of Halba and President of the Union of Municipalities of the Al-Shafat Region, Mr. Said Halabi, Chief Technical Advisor and Director of the Reconstruction and Recovery Cell from the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr. Sateh Arnaout, the President of the Chamber of  Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Tripoli and the North, Mr. Abdallah Ghandour, as well as officials from the Municipality of Halba, entrepreneurs, and local and international non-governmental organizations.

In partnership with the Municipality of Halba, USAID funded the establishment of the Chamber’s branch and the Business Development Services Center at the Municipality to provide services to all businesses and communities in the Akkar area.  With this new location in Halba, businessmen, merchants and community members in Akkar no longer have to commute to Tripoli to have access to the Chamber’s services.  USAID provided $75,000 to the center for furniture, computers, website development and training services.

The services offered by the Chamber and the Business Development Services Center include: developing feasibility studies and business plans, managing geographic mapping of local businesses, establishing websites for municipalities, linking with the Lebanese who live abroad, accessing project financing, providing technical assistance and mentoring, linking to the Chamber’s resources, capacity building, linking to Agriculture development programs, and organizing conferences and seminars.  

This project is part of the $11 million, three-year USAID Empowering Municipalities through Local Economic Development (EMLED) program which is implemented by Relief International.   The EMLED or “Al Baladiyat” project supports the creation of local economic development in over 130 rural municipalities.