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NATIONAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT (2001-2002)
LAUNCHING CEREMONY AT THE UN HOUSE
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2002

CDR INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In our first public address as newly appointed board of directors of CDR, the president emphasized that the role of development and reconstruction policies of the government does not only aim at developing and improving the physical infrastructure but also takes into consideration the amelioration of living conditions for the people and the provision of means for sustained human development, at optimum terms and efficiency. Setting henceforth social programs at the onset of CDR's new focus, I am pleased and honored to be amongst this distinguished crowd to launch one of the most important tools in diagnosing the living conditions at the national level and most efficient mean to assess the needs, challenges and opportunities through raising awareness, spreading knowledge and advocating policy change to better serve the citizens of the country.

The National Human Development Report is a collaborative initiative of the United Nations Development Programme and the Council for Development and Reconstruction. This report provides a useful contribution to visioning the future of Lebanon, to strategic planning and to development programming, which are at the heart of the mandate of the Council for Development and Reconstruction.

The National Human Development Report stresses at many issues the country needs to address to enhance and reach sustainable human development. I have taken the liberty to pinpoint some of those issues that fall within the scope of CDR and show how they are being addressed:

Inequitable national achievement distribution during the past decade. While realizing the need for post war reconstruction at the national level, CDR believes that now is the time to start addressing development at the local level of Mohafazat. By comparing the distribution of projects amongst the Mohafazat during the years 1992 till 2001 with the prepared plan for the coming 5 years, one can see that from 3% in the Bekaa and South, we will be spending approximately 12% in those region. Comparatively, the North will see an upgrade from 5% to 12% also. In addition, a national land use master plan is actively being prepared. It will provide an overarching framework for balanced spatial organization and for regulation of work, living and recreation.

Need to explore new avenues and revenue sources. The CDR role in promoting partnership development and brokering resource mobilization is being activated and enhanced, specifically focusing on the private sector as a vehicle to economic development and job creation specialist. Among these sources, mention is made of the provision of long-term financing for small and medium hotels and for industrial modernization, through the establishment of two 30 million euro credit line made available by the European Investment Bank.

Globalization requires the support to SMEs to develop new business culture. In that field, two socio-economic development projects are starting at about the same time under the management of the Council (CDR) namely the Economic and Social Fund for Development (ESFD) and the Community Development Project (CDP). The Economic and Social Fund for Development is a 31 million Euro project funded by the European Union. It consists of three major components: community development, micro finance, and sustainable job creation. The Community Development Project is a 30 million US Dollar venture financed by the World Bank and has two major components: social infrastructure enhancement and capacity building at the community levels. Both projects have very similar mandates of poverty reduction and aim at absorbing the social implications of structural adjustment processes as well as providing sustainable job and income opportunities, particularly at the local/community level, targeting the economically disadvantaged and the vulnerable groups

Globalization requires efforts to be made to expand, diversify, and enhance educational institutions and teaching quality. In coordination with the Ministry of Education, more than 72 schools will be built throughout Lebanon in the coming 5 years costing around 70 million US Dollars. An equal amount is set to furnish those schools with the latest state of the art equipment. In addition an ambitious project funded by the World Bank, the General Education Project, aims at enhancing the curricula offered and provide guidance and counseling system through the establishment of a needs assessment approach and a newly formed program to train teachers and official ministry employees to adjust to the changes inherent to globalization.

The healthcare system needs to regroup and order its fragmented institutional framework. In coordination with the Ministry of Health, many studies have been undertaken to enable policy makers to better evaluate their options. A cost containment study and a health information system were developed. An accreditation system for hospitals has just been finalized. A "carte sanitaire" is under preparation to provide a needs assessment approach on a geographical level. Studies on health insurance options and new financing schemes have been developed along with the establishment of a new draft law for the autonomy of governmental hospitals. Also, a nursing program at the Lebanese University is ongoing and aims at providing continuous education and training to supplement the deficiencies in that area.

In conclusion, I would like to stress again that the National Human Development Report is one very crucial milestone in a process of agenda setting and implementation. The ultimate objective is that there be continuous and sustained progress towards achieving the goal of human prosperity in Lebanon. In today's difficult economic and political environment, we need altogether, public and private sector to work hand and hand towards a solution for all the problems accurately diagnosed in this report. I think, Gebran Khalil Gebran put it best when he said: "Ambition beyond existence is the essential purpose of our being". There is no right or wrong answer; this is not a deterministic science; our goal and everybody's goal should be to fulfill the optimistic promise of a better life for all people.

THANK YOU