Qatar on Sunday launched a project to restore an old market in the Lebanese village of Douma in a bid to boost trade as the country faces its worst economic crisis.
Launched by the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and the Petronyat Association, the project is part of a 2019 partnership in an effort to improve urban planning in Douma.
Qatar Ambassador to Lebanon Ibrahim Al Sahlavi and Lebanese Tourism Minister Walid Nasser participated in the ceremony held in Lebanon.
"I am proud to participate today in the launch of the Douma Market Rehabilitation Project, which gave Qatar the opportunity to finance it because of its tireless desire to stand with Lebanon and support it in all areas," said Al Sahlawi.
Al Sahlawi noted that the project falls under Qatar's global efforts to preserve and protect heritage sites given their role in representing a country's identity.
The restoration of the market is a crucial step forward for the Lebanese village, which has long served as a place for tourists to explore its heritage while offering jobs in the labor market.
The opening of job vacancies in Lebanon is an important step to support the local community, where hundreds of thousands of people are living through the worst economic crisis in decades.
The crisis has worsened since 2019, with the currency losing 90% of its value to the US dollar. The outbreak of Covid-19 and the tragic Beirut port explosion in 2020 further exacerbated the country's dire situation. At the same time, three-quarters of Lebanon's population is pushed into poverty and lives under inflation as a result of the economic situation.
