The history of solidarity, cooperation, and collaboration between Italy and Lebanon began in 1983. In that year, the two governments signed the first agreement for Italian funding to support the reconstruction of Lebanon, which had been devastated by civil war. With those funds, a pumping station for the public water supply was built on the outskirts of Beirut, and today that facility remains a crucial hub for providing water to the capital.
From that first project, Italian Cooperation has continued to be active in the country, working with Lebanese institutions and civil society for post-war reconstruction and supporting the most vulnerable social groups. This commitment was further strengthened after the 2006 war with the opening of an Italian Cooperation office in Lebanon.
Today, we support efforts to stabilise and develop the country’s socio-economic and political life. Italian Cooperation is one of the key partners for the Lebanese government, becoming a privileged interlocutor in many sectors, including strategies to address the impact of the Syrian crisis in the country. Over the years, numerous initiatives have been funded through bilateral channels to strengthen institutional development policies (support for children, women, and gender issues, improvement of healthcare services), environmental protection, infrastructure—particularly related to the water supply and waste disposal networks—agricultural and rural development, and the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage.
With the outbreak of the Syrian conflict in 2011, the strategic framework once again integrated humanitarian aid interventions with the need to intensify development activities in support of sectors most affected by the crisis. The Beirut office has also been entrusted with managing programs in Syria. In recent years, sector studies have been initiated to implement development projects financed through aid credits in innovative areas for Italian Cooperation in Lebanon. This preparatory activity is aimed at launching programs for the development of industrial districts, sustainable tourism, and the management of marginal coastal areas.
Italian development cooperation in Lebanon covers approved activities currently ongoing, amounting to over 390 million Euros, including aid credits and grant funding.