Minister of Public Works and Transport in the caretaker government, Ali Hamiyeh, signed an agreement today with the commander of the Lebanese Army, General Joseph Aoun, at the General Aviation Building in Rafik Hariri International Airport – Beirut. The agreement involves the Lebanese Army – Air Force providing specialized officers to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to fulfill air traffic monitoring duties, supporting the continuity of air navigation services at the airport. The signing was attended by Director General Fadi Hassan, Airport Security Chief Brigadier General Fadi Kfoury, Air Force Commander Brigadier General Michel Saifi, heads of administrative and technical departments in the Directorate General, and several security and military officials at the airport.
In his welcoming speech, Hamiyeh appreciated "the cooperation between the ministry and the Lebanese Army," considering that it "possesses the necessary competencies and human and technical resources to assist in several files that concern the ministry." He noted that "this is not the first agreement signed between the ministry and the army, but part of an ongoing cooperation that began with the comprehensive survey agreement of maritime properties, through this agreement we are signing today, leading to another agreement being prepared between the ministry and the army, wherein the Directorate of Geographic Affairs will conduct technical surveys of all areas surrounding the airport," emphasizing that "difficult circumstances cannot hinder the creation of many solutions, especially through cooperation with the Army, which has many capabilities."
During the signing ceremony, Hamiyeh stated: "We take pride in being at Rafik Hariri International Airport and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, alongside the Lebanese Army leadership, officers, and personnel, especially under the current conditions in the region and Lebanon." He pointed out that "although the Lebanese state suffers under such circumstances, especially on financial and administrative levels," the Ministry of Public Works and Transport continues to seek solutions despite the shortage of personnel in the General Directorate of Civil Aviation, which has seen its staff drop from 900 employees to just 200.
He added, "As a result of the shortage of personnel in some of our departments, we found in the Lebanese Army a source that possesses all those capabilities," reminding that "this step we are taking today is not the only one, as we previously assigned the army – Directorate of Geographic Affairs to complete the comprehensive survey of public marine properties," announcing to the Lebanese that "we have accomplished over 50% of this file, along the Lebanese coast from Naqoura to Al-Arida, aiming for an accurate enumeration of encroached areas and securing additional revenues for the Lebanese state without harming citizens' pockets."
Regarding air traffic controllers, Hamiyeh recalled that "no media outlet in the world has overlooked this issue and the scrutiny of the airport from this perspective," stating: "To address the shortage in human resources within the air navigation department, we took measures through the Cabinet to appoint 25 air traffic controllers, in addition to enlisting specialized officers from the Air Force, given their expertise in air navigation, as these officers have undergone various training courses in different countries."
He added that "with this agreement with the Lebanese Army, 15 Air Force officers will be utilized to complement the personnel in the air navigation department," indicating that "this action, in conjunction with the aforementioned appointments and the current number in the department, will secure an essential component for ensuring air safety at the airport, which is also among the criteria that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) prioritizes." Hamiyeh confirmed that "the tasks of all involved will be strengthened through the provision of necessary training in specialized institutes, which we are currently working on."
He stated: "There is another requirement from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) concerning the technical aerial survey of the entire airport perimeter," noting that "the required studies have been accomplished by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation," highlighting that "we are poised to sign soon with the Lebanese Army's leadership, assigning the Directorate of Geographic Affairs to conduct the mentioned survey," reminding that "this has not occurred for about 30 years," and adding, "At that time, it was done through hiring specialized foreign companies, while today we are seeking assistance from the Lebanese Army, which has the necessary techniques and expertise in this field."
Hamiyeh concluded by emphasizing that "our methodology in the ministry is based on not yielding or surrendering to the limitations of resources, especially financial or human limitations," stressing that "the search for available solutions is indispensable, especially with an institution like the Lebanese Army," congratulating "Lebanon, the state, and its people on this partially crafted solution to a fundamental issue that the airport has been facing."
