Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny on Wednesday reviewed progress on the long-anticipated Qlayaat Airport rehabilitation and reactivation project, in the presence of representatives from Dar Al-Handasah – Shair and Partners, the consultancy firm behind the master plan, which was presented as part of a grant to the Lebanese state.
Following the briefing, Minister Rasamny confirmed that the project has entered a critical phase. “We have officially received both the preliminary feasibility study and a comprehensive executive plan,” he said. “These were submitted to the Prime Minister along with all the necessary legal and administrative documentation, and a detailed implementation timeline.”
The project is set to be discussed in the upcoming Cabinet session on Friday before being referred to Parliament for approval. Rasamny stressed the importance of process over deadlines: “What matters is not setting an opening date, but having a clear and reliable mechanism to reach that goal. We hope to begin the commitment phase by early next year.”
He described the Qlayaat Airport as a “strategic national project” with potential to boost the economy of Akkar and northern Lebanon. “This airport is not an alternative to Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport but a complementary facility,” he said.
Funding for the project will come from private investors through a competitive public bidding process. Rasamny said the ministry is finalizing a transparent and open tender document, with the bidding phase expected to launch in early 2026. He noted significant interest from prominent investors, adding that this momentum calls for swift action on both the executive and legislative levels.
“This project is more than infrastructure,” Rasamny concluded. “It’s an urgent economic and development priority for Lebanon, and we are committed to launching it without delay.”
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