Fayyad says ball in court of US, World Bank as to energy import deal

W460

Energy Minister Walid Fayyad noted Thursday that the World Bank has not refused to finance Lebanon’s U.S.-backed plan for importing gas and electricity from Egypt and Jordan via Syria, adding that the Bank is still studying the plan’s “political feasibility.”

“The contract with Jordan has been signed, but it needs to be ratified by Cabinet. The contract was signed and we did our duty, but the delay lies in financing,” Fayyad said.

“I don’t know the meaning of the political feasibility they are talking about, which is the excuse behind this delay, and I’m in constant contact with the World Bank’s administration, U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea and French Ambassador Anne Grillo,” the minister added.

“The ball is now in the court of the U.S. administration and the World Bank,” Fayyad went on to say.

Pointing out that he has not been officially informed of the presence of delay by the World Bank, the minister said “a meeting was held on Friday and did not lead to the anticipated positive result.”

“Like you, we are hearing that they are still studying the plan’s political feasibility,” Fayyad went on to say.

SourceNaharnet
Comments 2
Missing mcessen1 21 April 2022, 16:35

What a smug punchable face.

Thumb gebran_sons 22 April 2022, 05:05

Any project funded while HizbIran controls Lebanonis costs 10 times its real cost due to political risk. Fayyad’s electricity plan is backward looking, full of corruption pitfalls, depends on Assad grace and expensive imports, and will bankrupt & pollute Lebanon. It does not mention renewable knowing well that Lebanon is blessed with solar, wind, hydro, and wave power. Is Fayyad aware of UAE Masdar contracts to generate solar power for 3 cents a KW or Saudi contract for solar power at 2 cents/KW? Does he understand solar more efficient on high mountains than desert as PV negatively affected by heat? Is he aware of WDRVM, a Syrian firm producing large wind turbines (WT)? Has he considered off-shore WT near Tripoli islands, today’s cheapest form of energy? Hydro & microhydro power? benefit of distributed power and net-metering? Is he aware 20% incentive means 80% from private funds quadrupling power output? Or 4 solar panels provide 30 yrs of free 15,000 KM/year for every EV car?