The Minister of Industry in the caretaker government, Deputy George Bouchkian, welcomed the head of the Bekaa Industrialists' Association, Nicolas Abou Faisal, and its members in Caza, congratulating them on Christmas and the upcoming New Year. They acknowledged Bouchkian's support for industrialists and his responsiveness to their requests, issuing decisions that protect the industry from illegal and unfair foreign competition. Bouchkian welcomed the delegation in return, thanking them for their greetings. He affirmed that "the Ministry of Industry and the private industrial sector are in the same trench, complementing each other," stressing that "the ministry, with all its resources and readiness, is working to develop production, support it, and create investment opportunities in the industry." He said, "We will make doubled efforts to ensure that 2024 is the year of Lebanese industry par excellence, and we will strive to expand our export markets and enhance production and integration capacities."