NNA – Caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, on Friday met with Deputy Prime Minister, Saadeh Al-Shami, who had just returned from the United States. The pair discussed the outcomes of the regular meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
Prime Minister Mikati also met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Abdullah Bou Habib, who said on emerging, “We presented the preparations for the upcoming Arab Summit, scheduled for May 16th in Bahrain, as well as the preparations for the 8th Brussels Conference to Support the Future of Syria and the Region, which will be held later this month.”
Additionally, Prime Minister Mikati met with Minister of Public Health Firas Abiad, with whom he discussed health issues that concern all citizens, particularly the impact of the tariff increase implemented by the ministry.
"We see a large number of citizens benefiting from these tariffs, especially in government hospitals, which are making a great effort in this difficult situation,” Abiad said in the wake of the meeting.
On the refugee scene, Abiad stated, "Currently, there are several cases of whooping cough, especially in Kamid Al-Lawz, which the Ministry of Health is addressing. We have raised our voice to international organizations as a reminder of their responsibilities towards the health of refugees, as it has an impact on public health."
"We emphasized the importance of supporting these institutions to fulfill their duties, especially expediting the payment of their dues, so that we can fulfill our duties towards their employees, especially regarding productivity and perseverance," he continued. "We must ensure the health security of refugees by providing clean water and the necessary health conditions for them to live in."
Regarding the issue of Syrian refugees, Prime Minister Mikati also met with Minister of Displaced Persons, Issam Sharafeddine, to discuss the affairs of his ministry and the file of Syrian refugees.
The "Strong Lebanon" Bloc also met with Prime Minister Mikati, represented by a delegation appointed by MP Gebran Bassil. The delegation included MPs Salim Aoun, Asaad Dergham, Jimmy Jabbour, and Samer Al-Tom.
MP Jabbour, on behalf of the delegation, said, "We were honored today to meet with Prime Minister Mikati, commissioned by the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil, as a delegation from the Strong Lebanon Bloc. The meeting exclusively addressed the current issue in light of the visit of the European Commissioner and the Cypriot President, announcing a $1 billion grant to Lebanon. We conveyed the concerns of the Lebanese people and our concerns as a bloc to Prime Minister Mikati that this grant could contribute to keeping the refugees and delaying their return from Lebanon to Syria."
"We also informed Prime Minister Mikati of the bloc's position, which restricts any assistance today, whether European or international. We insisted on the need to have Syrians return to their country and end the displacement crisis that burdens the Lebanese. Lebanon can no longer bear such a crisis and burden," Jabbour added.
"We also expressed our concerns about the issue of seasonal workers and linked it to the grant, the retention of refugees, and all these matters that indicate that the issue of Syrian refugees could continue in Lebanon leading to the displacement of the Lebanese themselves to other countries. Therefore, today's session was a positive, frank session with Prime Minister Mikati, where we received his position and the data, and we conveyed our position to him," he concluded.
Prime Minister Mikati also received the President of the Lebanese University, Professor Bassam Badran, and Dr. Ahmad Awada, a cancer researcher and head of the Cancer Department in one of Belgium's largest hospitals. Mikati congratulated Dr. Awada on the honorary doctorate awarded to him by the Lebanese University in recognition of his achievements in cancer research.
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