Hariri: Future Government to Include CEDRE Reforms, Projects in Ministerial Statement

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri said the solution for the formation of the government does not lie with him but with the others. He pointed out that his main goal is to develop the country, adding “we have a golden opportunity to develop Lebanon, especially after the CEDRE conference,” Hariri’s media office said in a statement on Saturday.

Hariri noted out that any government that would be formed will include in its ministerial statement all the reforms and projects of the CEDRE conference, stressing that all political parties have already agreed to this.

Hariri's stances came during a dinner held yesterday by the Businessmen's Federation for Support and Development IRADA, at the Four Seasons Hotel, in the presence of former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, caretaker Ministers Nouhad Mashnouq and Jamal Jarrah, the president of the municipality of Beirut Jamal Itani, the President of the Economic and Social Council Charles Arbid, the Head of Economic Organizations Mohammed Choucair as well as economic and social figures.

Hariri said: “Usually, most associations that visit me have requests. But when I met IRADA, I was surprised when they told me: “We do not want anything from you, but we want to help the country.” I was very heartened by this, because such initiatives help Lebanon, the society and the people.

We need such initiatives to help the Lebanese citizen, especially in the economic stage that we are going through. Therefore, I thank you, Assem and all the concerned, for the great work you are doing, and I am confident that this success will help Lebanon, as happened at one stage, when Rafic Hariri educated thousands of Lebanese students. Today you are doing a similar job, thank you.

It is true that today we are a caretaker government and I am the Prime Minister-designate, but my main goal is to develop this country and I think that we have a golden opportunity to do so, especially after the CEDRE conference.

It is true that this conference is for large projects, but the foundation of the private sector are the small and medium-sized enterprises, and this is what you are working on and what we must develop.

It is this sector that improves the national economy, and the more the small and medium private enterprises sector grows, the more the economy grows. Therefore, if we work, as a public sector, with you the private sector, it will be the basis for the growth we want.

In addition, CEDRE is not only a set of projects, it is also a series of reforms. Without these reforms, we cannot advance the country. Most importantly, before heading to that conference, the Cabinet approved all the reforms and projects in it, and any government that will come will include in its ministerial statement all these reforms and projects, and all political parties have already agreed to this.

I am optimistic, if the issue of government is solved. The solution does not lie with me but with the others. I wish you all the best. The high professionalism you are working with makes me proud and I wish you success.”