ILO leads initiative to rehabilitate key road networks and create decent jobs across Lebanon
The ILO’s Employment Intensive Infrastructure Programme (EIIP), with funding from Germany and in collaboration with the Lebanese Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has launched vital road maintenance projects across Lebanon.
13 May 2024
BEIRUT (ILO News).Lebanon's road network, which is vital for connecting communities, facilitating trade and promoting economic growth, is currently in dire need of urgent repair works due to heavy damage caused by winter storms, including rockfalls and landslides, particularly on mountainous roads.
To address this issue, the ILO Employment Intensive Infrastructure Programme (EIIP) in Lebanon, funded by the German Government through KfW Development Bank, is collaborating with the Lebanese Ministry of Public Works and Transport and with local municipalities to implement road maintenance projects across various strategically selected locations, or “clusters,” across Lebanon.
Through a labour-intensive approach, the EIIP initiative also aims to create a high number of decent jobs for vulnerable communities.
ILO worked closely with the Ministry to select the roads most in need of the EIIP intervention.Each cluster encompasses multiple towns and villages, targeting priority roads identified in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Works and participating municipalities. These projects commenced in March 2024, and are due to be completed by December 2024.
The EIIP Road Maintenance projects focus on a combination of routine maintenance activities and spot improvement works.
Routine maintenance activities include cleaning and clearing of roadside and stormwater drains, vegetation cutting and patching potholes. These activities are essential for ensuring the smooth functioning and safety of the roads, especially before and after periods of heavy rainfall during the winter season.
Spot improvement works involve more extensive construction and rehabilitation efforts. These works include the construction and repair of side drains, retaining walls, cross-road drainage structures, and road safety barriers.
Additionally, the projects involve the installation of road signs, bioengineering works, and emergency repairs as needed.
The Road Maintenance projects within the EIIP are primarily carried out using manual labour with the aim of generating decent and short-term employment opportunities for local beneficiaries, selected both from vulnerable Lebanese host communities and Syrian refugee communities, through fair and transparent recruitment processes. The projects also prioritize the recruitment of women and people with disabilities, promoting inclusivity and diversity in the workforce. Thus, by generating job opportunities, these projects not only ensure the maintenance and structural improvement of the roads, but also significantly contribute to the economic development and livelihoods of the local communities.
EIIP Lebanon, currently in its fifth phase, will implement the Road Maintenance Projects initiative in the Mount Lebanon area (in the Ghazir, Amchit, Araya, Beiteddine and Baabdat municipality areas), in the South area (in the Bourj Rahhal municipality area), and in the northern Akkar area (in the Koueikhat municipality area).