Turkiye ready to undertake infrastructure projects in Beirut

The Turkish President indicated Tuesday at a news conference with the Lebanese Premier that Turkiye is ready to take on infrastructure projects, including rebuilding the Port of Beirut.

After a one-on-one meeting and delegation-level negotiations, Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Najib Mikati in the Turkish capital of Ankara and held a joint news conference.

“During our meetings, we discussed Turkiye-Lebanon relations comprehensively. We focused on the development of cooperation opportunities,” said Erdogan.

After the explosion in Akkar last August, he stated Turkiye was the first country to come to the rescue of its Lebanese brethren with ambulance planes, and that Turkiye does not discriminate between Lebanese people.

Erdogan stated that he was willing to assist the Lebanese government in its reform efforts. Despite the coronavirus outbreak, he said, trade between the two countries reached $1.8 billion, up around 80% from the previous year.