Challenges and Opportunities in Lebanon’s Post-War Recovery: A Comparative Analysis with Iraq
Keywords:
Post-war Recovery, Sustainable Economic Development, Infrastructure Reconstruction, Environmental Sustainability, Governance and Transparency, Poverty AlleviationAbstract
This paper examines the importance of Lebanon adopting a recovery program and collaborating with international institutions following the 2024 war to achieve economic sustainability. Drawing on the successful experience of Iraq in 2003, it explores whether Lebanon can rebuild sustainably. The paper also highlights the key successes and obstacles Iraq faced in implementing its recovery programs. It emphasizes the challenges Lebanon faces related to governance, institutional capacity, and political fragmentation, and advocates for coordinated international cooperation, capacity-building, and anti-corruption efforts. The findings stress the need for tailored and inclusive strategies to ensure Lebanon’s long-term economic resilience and social stability.
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