Prime Minister Saad Hariri chaired today at the Grand Serail a meeting dedicated to the investment program for infrastructure.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Ghassan Hasbani, ministers Nohad Machnouk, Gebran Bassil, Hussein Hajj Hassan, Michel Pharaon, Ayman Choucair, Inaya Ezzeddine and Cesar Abi Khalil, the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers Fouad Fleifel, the President of the Council of Development and Reconstruction (CDR) Nabil al-Jisr, Hariri's advisors Nadim Mounla and Fadi Fawaz and representatives from "Dar al-Handassa". 

This meeting was held after the government, in cooperation with the concerned ministers and the Council for Development and Reconstruction, completed the draft of this ambition program, which has been presented to the various political forces as a first step to start a broad national debate to submit it to cabinet before sending it to parliament. 

During the meeting, Hariri stressed the importance of this program and the need for a wide national consensus around it to meet the economic challenges facing Lebanon. He added that this program would lead to economic revival on the eve of the international conference that will be held at the beginning of next year to support Lebanon economically, which was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron during the visits of President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri to Paris last month. During the conference, Lebanon will ask for grants and soft loans.

On the other hand, Hariri met separately with the Minister of Information Melhem Riachi, and the Minister of the Displaced Talal Arslan who said after the meeting: "I registered at the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers a draft law concerning the stages to close the Ministry of the Displaced, to be submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval".

Hariri also met with the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Lebanon Abdel Aal Al-Kinai and discussed with him the situation and the bilateral relations.

Hariri also received the Chairman of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, former Minister Hassan Mneimneh who said after the meeting: "We reviewed the situation of the refugees in Lebanon and the problems facing them. We invited Prime Minister Hariri to adopt the document issued by the work group on the Palestinian refugees, which included the various political parties in Lebanon.

We also discussed the importance of approving this document in the cabinet and issuing the laws and decrees that may help in alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian refugees, with full emphasis on the rejection of resettlement and the adherence to the right of return, which are stated in the document. Talks focused on the need to register the Palestinian births in Lebanon, that were not registered previously, in the relevant official departments. 

Discussions also tackled Lebanon's support to cover UNRWA's deficit, especially by communicating with donor countries so that the deficit will not reflect negatively on its work in Lebanon. Prime Minister Hariri promised to acquire some lands in Nahr al-Bared camp for the Lebanese state to launch the fourth phase of the reconstruction of the camp." 

Later on, Hariri met with MP Wael Abu Faour and discussed with him the situation in the country.