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[Beirut, May 15, 2025] Thanks to a partnership between Solidarités International, the Lebanese Red Cross, the French Red Cross, the National Council for Scientific Research in Lebanon (CNRS-L), and the Disaster Risk Management Unit affiliated with the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, significant progress has been made in flood risk management in Lebanon, particularly in the regions of Akkar and the Beqaa. Through scientific research, a community-based approach, and infrastructure interventions, this partnership—funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark—has contributed to strengthening the resilience of communities facing flood risks. A conference, held on May 15, 2025, at CNRS, brought together over 80 participants to present these achievements and explore future opportunities for cooperation.
The conference opened with a welcome address by Dr. Chadi Abdallah, Secretary General of CNRS; Dr Abdallah stated that ‘’This project was never just about two river basins—it was about proving that science, when enabled and supported, can guide action, restore trust in public institutions, and build a life-saving early warning system that is replicable across the region.”
Dr Abdallah’s word was followed by remarks from Her Excellency Dr. Tamara El Zein, Minister of Environment, His Excellency Mr. Hervé Magro, Ambassador of France to Lebanon, and His Excellency Mr. Kristoffer Vivike, Ambassador of Denmark to Lebanon. Representatives of the project’s partner organizations also spoke, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between Lebanese institutions and international partners.
In her remarks, the Minister of Environment expressed her belief that “consolidated efforts in disaster risk management among the Lebanese scientific community, ministries, and international actors are essential to shaping the pillars of reform and restructuring plans in which the government is engaged.”
“France is proud to support, alongside its partners, the efforts undertaken to protect the most vulnerable populations from flooding. This project demonstrates the effectiveness of an approach that combines scientific expertise, humanitarian action, and institutional coordination to strengthen community resilience,” emphasized the Ambassador of France to Lebanon.
The Danish Ambassador highlighted “the project’s ability to adapt to successive crises in Lebanon—from the Beirut port explosion in 2020 to the cholera outbreak and the war in 2024—while fostering complementarity at both local and national levels.”
Operational and strategic contributions implemented by project stakeholders were presented, highlighting the main achievements since the project’s launch: an in-depth flood risk management assessment by CNRS of the Oustouane (Akkar) and Ghzayel (Beqaa) river basins; more than 20 small and medium-scale flood mitigation and risk reduction projects in vulnerable areas, targeting the most at-risk populations, including refugees; over 50 micro-projects for local risk management in various communities; the development of the Early Warning and Early Action System (EWEAS) protocol; the establishment and training of community disaster risk reduction management units at the municipal level; and the creation of community-based emergency response teams at the national level.