The Ministry of Industry (MoI) has chosen five locations in different regions in which to build industrial zones.
Dany Gedeon, Director General of MoI, said: “The ministry is cooperating with the Unions of Municipalities for the projects. It requested the documents, maps, and paper works to do the initial master plans.”
Gedeon said that the ministry will send a team of engineers to where the sites are located in Mtein, Zrarieh, Qaa, Jezzine, and Bsarma to study the possibility of building the industrial zones. The ministry will then search for donors to fund the masterplans and launch the tenders.
The industrial city in Mtein (High Metn) will have a total land surface of 600,000 square meters (m2). The one located in Zrarieh (South) will be set on land measuring 125,000 m2. The Qaa (Baalbeck) location will have a surface of around three million m2, and Bsarma (Koura) will be on 600,000 m2 of land. The Jezzine size is approximately 500,000 m2.
Most of the lands are owned by municipalities.
The industrial zones will be equipped with the required infrastructure, including roads, water and waste treatment plants, sewage system, solar power generation, and piping.
Industrialists will be able to have long-term leases in these zones at low costs.
“Industrial zones are also good investment for municipalities, and contribute to local economic development in rural areas,” said Gedeon.
The MoI previously launched three industrial zones in Baalbek, Tourbul-Qosaya, and Deir el Moukhaless-Jleiliyeh. The results of the masterplans for the industrial zones will be announced within two months. The Italian government has made available €500,000 ($550,000) for executing the masterplans.
Gedeon said that the Italian government, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the World Bank will finance the three projects. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) study said at a previous time that around $85 million is required for it to be completed.
Gedeon said that the cost of investment in the five industrial zones will be announced once the masterplans have been finalized.
Source: businessnews.com.lb
