Lebanon secures $360M to rebuild war-damaged south, premier says

By Abdulsalam Fayez

ISTANBUL (AA) – A total of $360 million has been secured to help rebuild areas of southern Lebanon damaged during Israel’s latest war, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Saturday.

Salam made the announcement during a visit to southern Lebanon, saying in a post on US social media company X that the government will launch “reconstruction projects after securing the necessary funding.”

The financing includes $250 million in concessional loans from the World Bank, €75 million from the French Development Agency, and €35 million in grants provided by the EU, France, and Denmark, he added.

Lebanon’s government has previously said the cost of reconstruction resulting from the latest Israeli offensive will be no less than $5 billion. Former Prime Minister Najib Mikati cited the figure in Dec. 2024 during the 11th summit of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation in Cairo.

Salam said the government is working on three parallel tracks: preserving the dignity of displaced people, supporting those returning home, and ensuring better living conditions for all.

There is no official figure for the number of people displaced from southern Lebanon by the war, but local estimates put the number in the thousands.

The government is pursuing three integrated paths: continuing relief efforts, rebuilding damaged areas, and creating conditions for economic and social recovery, Salam said.

Speaking about his visit, Salam said he came to the south on behalf of the Lebanese government “to deliver one clear message: the right of the people of the south to security, to a home, to land and to a dignified life is an indivisible national right.”

He said ongoing Israeli attacks constitute an assault on Lebanon’s sovereignty and on civilian lives.

Restoring state authority involves more than just deploying and controlling the army and praising the military's role, Salam said, adding that sovereignty also entails responsibility for people and their needs.

He said he plans to return soon for a second visit to follow up on the implementation of reconstruction projects, without specifying a date.

A 2024 ceasefire deal between Lebanon and Israel has put an end to more than a year of attacks that have killed over 4,000 people and injured 17,000 more, against the backdrop of Israel's war in Gaza.

The Israeli army was supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon in Jan. 2025 under the ceasefire, but instead only partially pulled out and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul