Saida, 8 September 2026 - The European Union (EU), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Environment have delivered essential waste management equipment to municipalities, unions of municipalities and waste management facilities across the Bekaa and South Lebanon.

Funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, the support includes nine pieces of machinery for three facilities in the Bekaa and 17 waste collection trucks for 15 municipalities and unions of municipalities in South Lebanon. The equipment will strengthen day-to-day operations and help local authorities sustain waste collection and facility services amid continued financial and operational pressures.

The deliveries were marked by separate handover events in the Bekaa and South Lebanon, bringing together the Ministry of Environment, the European Union, UNDP, local authorities and partners. The latest handover, held today at Saida Serail, took place in the presence of H.E. Dr. Tamara El Zein, Minister of Environment; H.E. Ms. Sandra De Waele, Ambassador of the European Union to Lebanon; and Mr. Thair Shraideh, UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in Lebanon, ; and Mr. Mansour Daou, Governor of South Lebanon, alongside representatives of municipalities and unions of municipalities.
H.E. Dr. Tamara El Zein, Minister of Environment, said: “Strong waste management starts with strong municipalities. Equipping municipalities and waste management facilities in the Bekaa and South Lebanon with the tools they need means better services, stronger local capacity, and a healthier environment for communities.

But equipment alone is not enough. We are putting in place the reforms needed to make the sector sustainable—from the adoption of the Cost Recovery Law and the update of the National Integrated Solid Waste Management Strategy to the activation of the National Solid Waste Management Authority.

Together, we are moving from addressing immediate needs to building a waste management system that is sustainable, financially viable, efficient, and accountable—one that delivers better services for citizens and lasting solutions for Lebanon.”

H.E. Ms. Sandra De Waele, Ambassador of the European Union to Lebanon, said: “Through the provision of essential waste management equipment to municipalities and facilities in the Bekaa and South Lebanon, the European Union is helping address urgent needs and maintain essential services for local communities. At the same time, we are helping the government find lasting solutions to the planning and financing of the sector, and we welcome the recent reforms undertaken in this regard. The European Union remains a reliable partner for Lebanon and its people, particularly in these challenging times.”

Mr. Thair Shraideh, UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in Lebanon, said: “Local authorities are on the front line of waste management, often operating with very limited resources. This support responds to practical needs: trucks that help municipalities sustain collection services in the South and machinery that strengthens operations at three facilities in the Bekaa. Together with the Ministry of Environment and the European Union, UNDP is connecting these investments to the planning, governance and financing reforms needed for lasting improvement.”

Mr. Mansour Daou, Governor of South Lebanon, thanked the European Union and UNDP for their support, saying: “We would have wished to come together under better circumstances, given the challenges South Lebanon is facing. We value every contribution that supports municipalities and helps our communities overcome this difficult period and move towards better conditions.”

In the Bekaa, the equipment benefits waste management facilities serving Zahle, Baalbek and Joub Jannine. In South Lebanon, the beneficiaries are the municipalities of Arzoun, Ghazieh, Jbal El Botom, Maarake and Tyre, and the Unions of Municipalities of Bint Jbeil, Chekif, Hasbani, Jabal Amel, Ourqoub, Iqlim El Touffah, Jabal El Rihan, Qalaa, Jezzine and Sahel El Zahrani.

Together, the two deliveries address immediate operational needs while advancing wider efforts to build a more sustainable and accountable solid waste management system. The equipment support is complemented by work on national planning, data and governance, municipal capacity development, and the financial sustainability of local waste services.