لبنان.. استمرار لمعاناة المرافق العامة ونمو ملحوظ للقطاع الخاص
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00:00 Lebanon entered the fourth year of a severe economic crisis that had negative effects on various vital sectors,
00:08 especially in terms of providing public services such as education, medicine, communications, water and electricity,
00:15 in addition to the disappointment of the Lebanese in the oil and gas sector,
00:20 after it became clear that there was no commercial gas in Block 9.
00:24 The electricity sector remains the most influential sector in the economic and living life,
00:30 as the state has not been able to provide more than four hours of daily food,
00:34 despite the increase in electricity consumption by more than 20 times.
00:38 At the same time, the Minister of Energy and Water of the Arabian CNBC pointed out that Lebanon has recently reached a target of 30%
00:45 of total electricity consumption through renewable energy sources by 2030,
00:51 reaching up to 1,000 MW today.
00:54 The difference between 2023 and 2022 is that we have been providing electricity for four hours,
00:59 and this was the result of the application of the plan to implement the emergency plan for the electricity sector.
01:04 If we assume that 1,000 MW is a precise number, we cannot be sure of this number because it is a result of individual initiatives.
01:13 30% by 2030 must have a national plan for this.
01:17 We must have a law that allows the private sector to produce, distribute and sell electricity,
01:24 and the most important is the renewable energy law that is distributed in the Parliament.
01:28 Secondly, there must be comprehensive and general reforms in the electricity sector,
01:33 and this requires a political intention that is still missing.
01:37 In addition to other sectors, the education sector is suffering under the economic collapse,
01:42 which has destroyed teachers, students and their families, and has caused 15% of families to stop educating their children compared to 10% a year ago.
01:52 The health sector remains in a difficult position due to high insurance prices,
01:58 the lack of social security and the hospital bill that has become expensive in the US dollar.
02:04 However, the commercial, industrial and tourism sectors have been able to recover some of their health,
02:09 especially after the US dollar's market share has stabilized and the exchange rate has stabilized.
02:14 We have a strong connection to the political situation, and therefore the performance of the commercial sector was very different.
02:20 From the beginning of the year to the beginning of 2027, we were at an increase of 20-25%,
02:26 and after 2027, there was a decrease of 50-70%,
02:32 and in the last month of February, with Black Friday and the rise, we have reduced by 20% compared to last year.
02:41 Today, more than two-thirds of payments have been made by consumers in the US dollar.
02:46 This means that at least they know that they will not lose money in inflation,
02:51 or that there will be daily fluctuations, and they are able to know where they are going with their spending.
02:55 But the crisis is still controlling the economic situation, in conjunction with a decrease in the commercial balance sheet from 10 billion dollars in 2022
03:04 to about 8 billion dollars in 2023, according to the statistics of the Lebanese Customs Administration,
03:11 as a result of the withdrawal and export bill.
03:14 Also, the social security system in Lebanon is still suffering from major gaps in coverage and a significant lack of funding,
03:21 which led to the deposition of about 55% of Lebanese people under the poverty line,
03:26 and the unemployment rate of 38%, and the decline of the minimum wage by about 77%,
03:33 especially in the public sector, which suffers from a similar decline in most of its sectors.
03:39 However, despite these negative figures, the economic and financial recovery plan
03:45 has given hope to the Lebanese in 2024 for a recovery in the country again.
03:51 Elena Mrat, CNBC Arabia, Beirut.
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