Grants worth $38 million provided by European Union

The Council for Development and Reconstruction signed on two grant agreements today, valued at $37 million. The grants, by the European Union (EU) aim to support stability and protect maritime resources.

The amount of $17 million of the grant will be used to establish national stability, through three main activities. The first is complementary administration of borders, covering immigration flow, trade facilitation, and combat of organized crime. The second is related to enhancing training capabilities of the Internal Security Forces. The third is regarding emergency preparation and crisis response, with a focus on chemical, biological, radioactive, and nuclear threats.

The second grant will be used to preserve biological diversity along the Lebanese coast. Four activities will relate to this effort: The completion of the treatment and cleaning of the oil spill in the sea, caused by the 2006 Israeli war. The second prepares for the exploration and production of oil and gas resources. The third will also be used to reduce sources of land pollution, such as municipal and industrial wastes. The last is dedicated to the development of coastal maritime biological diversity.