U.S. Government Boosts Local Economic Development

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) held a conference on Thursday to present the best practices and lessons learned under the Municipal Capacity Building and Service Delivery - EMLED program.

USAID/Lebanon Economic Growth Office Director Heath Cosgrove stressed during the conference the “importance of municipalities and local economic development (LED) committees in stimulating local economic development.”

Cosgrove said that (LED) has an essential role in “raising public private partnerships, and finding solutions to obstacles and challenges to local economic development.”

The conference highlighted future local economic opportunities for government, municipal and community leaders from 130 villages in Akkar, Higher Jbeil, and Jezzine areas.

It promoted socio-economic cooperation between municipalities and the private sector to foster local economic development, sharing recommendations from local communities to address employment, economics, agriculture, and tourism concerns, and highlighted areas most in need of improvement.

The conference also included a panel discussion with mayors from different regions on local needs, economic opportunities, and methods of contributing to national policy making.

It was part of USAID’s $11.3 million Municipal Capacity Building and Service Delivery – EMLED program, which partners with and facilitates networking among LED committees in all 130 targeted villages.

The program works to advance the efforts and cooperation of municipalities and communities to increase income and job creation in rural areas.