In about two months, it will be the second anniversary of the Beirut Port explosion, one of the largest explosions in history, which destroyed part of the capital. While Lebanon is suffering from the worst economic crisis witnessed globally, Minister of Public Works and Transport in the caretaker government Ali Hamieh made a surprising announcement, stating that "the Beirut Port reconstruction work will begin by the end of August 2022 based on a master plan through which we will invest in every square meter of it". What are the details of this plan? Where will the funds for the project come from? "There are offers to build the port, but no one has paid a single dollar," Hamieh confirmed, pointing to "poor organization and management at the Beirut Port, as is the case with all ports".
In an interview with mtv, he clarified that "the disaster did not destroy the Beirut Port but its surroundings, and what was destroyed was the less frequently used portion, such as the warehouses and silos." Hamieh revealed that the reconstruction project will be ready in two weeks and will be presented to the Cabinet, which will refer it to Parliament, announcing "the winning of a Dutch company, which he does not know, in the tender to execute the project," noting that "the World Bank has agreed that the master plan will cover an area of 1,500,000 square meters".
He mentioned that "geopolitical fluctuations and normalization will affect the Beirut Port," continuing: "Therefore, I am working on plans to maintain the necessity of the Beirut Port and other ports," emphasizing that he operates the caretaker government as if it were a legitimate government.
Hamieh affirmed that the project will be divided into phases, with no specific timeline set, pointing out that "after July, administrative matters will be completed and execution will begin." He also confirmed that after completing the plan, he would work on a terms of reference, saying: "Anyone who wants to participate, invest or donate is welcome," revealing an "increase in port revenues in recent months."
On another note, Hamieh mentioned that the German delegation that visited Lebanon did not meet with him regarding the Beirut Port, despite the Prime Minister's request to the delegation, stressing that he cannot sign any agreement outside the port. He revealed a "second Solidere project in Mar Mikhael planned by the Germans," confirming that this is not viable, and relocating the port is also not an option because if it were moved from its current location, "the port would be gone."
Regarding the silos building, Hamieh indicated that "the investigative judge Tariq Bitar confirmed on December 8, 2021, that there is no need for their existence," noting that "the Cabinet requested their demolition, and he, in turn, requested the formation of a ministerial committee that issued a decision to demolish them," adding that "the 'Khatib and Alami' company stated that the silos would collapse, so the government asked the Council for Development and Reconstruction to demolish them."
Thus, it seems that the project is on track, with attention on the stance of the victims' families from the explosion who categorically reject, as they previously stated, any reconstruction before achieving justice. How will they react, and will they escalate their actions?
