Lebanon - Reconstruction assessment report

Report No. 4434-LE Lebanon Reconstruction Assessment Report March 25, 1983 Europe, Middle East and North Africa Regional Office Country Programs Department II Projects Department FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Document of the World Bank This document has a restricted distribution ard may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization  CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS Currency Unit Lebanese Pound = 100 Piastres Lebanese Pound per US dollar Period End of Period Period Average 1973 2.5163 2.6104 1974 2.3338 2.3278 1975 2.4500 2.Z946 1976 2.8947 ... 1977 3.0465 3.U686 1978 3.0309 2.9554 1979 3.3773 3.2428 1980 3.6938 3.4358 1981 4.6352 4.3139 1982 March 4.8506 4.7385 July ).1579 December 3.9267 Source: Banque du Liban LISI OF ABBREVIAIIONS BCAIF Banque de Cr6dit Agricole Industriel et Foncier BNDIT Banque Nationale pour le Developpment Industriel et Touristique CAFP Conseil d'Administration de la Formation Protessionnelle CAH Caisse Autonome de l'Habitat CBD Central Business District (Beirut) CDR Council for Development and Reconstruction CEGP Conseil Executif des Grands Projets CEGPB Conseil Executif des Grands Projets de Beyrouth CNSS Caisse Nationale de Securite Sociale DGETP Direction Generale de l'Enseignement Technique et Professionnel DGRB Direction Generale des Routes et Batiments EDL Electricite du Liban HB Housing Bank LFPA Lebanon Family Planning Association MDC, Municipal Development Corporation MOYC Ministry of Housing and Cooperatives MiER Ministry of Hydraulic and Electric Resources MOE Ministry of National Education MOH Ministry of Public Health MOLSA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs NIGI National Institute for Guarantee of Investments OEB Office des Eaux de Beyrouth PWT Ministry of Public Works and Transport P&T Ministry of Posts and Telecomununications  FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY ABSTRACT The protracted warfare since 1975 bas bad a devastating impact on Lebanon's economic and social development. Many people have either been displaced or left the country. Physical destruction has been considerable in all sectors. As a result, the country's production capacity has been significantly reduced, and the efficiency of public services, impaired. The Government began preparing for reconstruction in 1978 but, because of internal conditions, it was not possible to implement many of the policy decisions and projects. The Government's main objective remains to reconstruct damaged public infrastructure, strengthen the public sector, which had a limited role before 1974, and assist the private sector to recover its prewar level of activities. To assist the Government in the process of planning reconstruction, the Bank, in cooperation witb the Lebanese administration, identified a reconstruction program whicb could be started in the 1983-85 period. The program is composed of priority projects in public infrastructure and credit programs to assist the reconstruction of housing and industry; it is accompanied by recommendations on studies, technical assistance and institutional measures needed for the program to be executed in a timely manner. The proposed reconstruction program is described in an assessment report wbicb includes a review of tH