Cooperation Mission in Lebanon

De gauche à droite : Joseph Hayek, Assistant de M. El Khoury ; Laetitia Vecchierini, responsable des programmes au Liban; Emilie Larese-Silvestre, Coordinatrice des programmes ; Bechara El Khoury, Consul honoraire de Monaco au Liban ; Gebran Bassil, Ministre des Affaires Etrangères de la République libanaise ©DR

The department of International Cooperation made a visit to Lebanon from 7 to 10 November 2016 to strengthen institutional links with the Lebanese Government and monitor projects that are supported by the Prince's Government.

During this mission, Emilie Larese-Silvestre, Programme Coordinator and Laetitia Vecchierini, who is in charge of programmes in Lebanon, were received in audience by Gebran Bassil, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lebanese Government.  This meeting, which was held in the presence of the Honorary Consul of Monaco in Lebanon, Bechara El Khoury, was an opportunity to reaffirm the partnership that exists between the two countries and discuss Lebanon's socio-economic concerns (the Syrian crisis, sustainable development and youth employment).

This mission was also an opportunity to visit the Shatila refugee camp for Palestinian refugees, which is managed by UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East], for which the Prince's Government is planning to support healthcare costs for extremely vulnerable populations (who receive an income of less than 2.7 USD per day).

The Monegasque delegation then visited isolated elderly people in the south of the country who benefit from a health promotion, socialisation and autonomy programme for seniors, which is supported by Monaco's Official Development Assistance in association with the Order of Malta.

Working meetings and visits to projects were organised during the course of the week with all the official partners of Monaco's Official Development Assistance, including the Lebanese NGO Tahaddi, which works to promote children's education, access to healthcare and the social integration of marginalised families living in a shanty town in the southern suburbs of Beirut.