The UNDP and the European Union Agency for Railway (ERA) launches EUMedRail Action Plan for Lebanon 2018-2020

March 23, 2018

The EUMedRail project funded by the Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement (DG NEAR) of the European Commission, has a budget of 2 million euros from 2017 – 2020. The project enables technical assistance to be given to the Euro-Mediterranean countries.

This project was launched in EUMedrail kick off meeting held on the 24th and 25 of October 2017 at Brussels. During this meeting, UNDP project manager of the “Institutional Capacity Development of the Railway and Public Transportation Authority” Charbel Shallita was nominated as a focal point (Lb.) for 2017-2020 guaranteeing a linkage between the EU, the eastern neighborhood countries and Lebanese authorities for the implementation of the program.

UNDP has promoted the Railway and Public Transportation Authority (RPTA) presence on international level and contributed to involve the Authority in the EUMedrail project.

In frame of this collaboration, a first meeting of the EuroMed Transport rail Project (EUMedRail), was organized by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) along with Intergovernmental Organization for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF), UNDP and EU delegation and was hosted by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport with the Railway and Public Transport Authority (RPTA) in Beirut on the 22nd of March 2018.

The meeting discussed the EUMedRail Action Plan for Lebanon 2018-2020 that will support decision makers in the revitalization of the Tripoli-Beirut railway line and the reform of the RPTA.

The Minister of Public Works and Transport in Lebanon Youssef Fenianos expressed his satisfaction that the country is taking an active role in the EUMedRail project and benefiting from the international technical support offered.  As well as training opportunities the project also offers a network of international experts that can support the implementation of the Tripoli-Beirut railway project. The EUMedRail team also highlighted the institutional capacity building actions and seminars offered to the Ministry and RPTA during the implementation meeting of the EUMedRail project.

The EUMedRail delegation formally invited Lebanese participation in the Action Plan conference being held on 23 and 24 April in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The conference will be a forum to present the National Railway Action Plans, the future railway projects, the state of implementation of the Action 12 of the Regional Transport Action Plan and co-operation activities with ERA.