person:mohammad qabbani

  • Lebanon: The summer when everything went wrong - Jean Aziz
    http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/07/lebanon-political-social-economic-crises-summer.html

    As the suicide bombings inflame Lebanon, the warm Lebanese summer is gradually progressing, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas of the country. In those circumstances, the chairman of the public works parliamentary committee, MP Mohammad Qabbani, warned of a catastrophic Lebanese summer, with a growing deficit in electricity generation, and a government demand to raise electricity prices to reduce the electricity fiscal deficit. There’s also a water shortage, a first for Lebanon in decades. The amount of rain accumulated throughout the winter season was less than one-third the average, which is between 750 mm and 800 mm (29.5 inches and 31.5 inches) per year.

    The electricity and water shortages are compounded by more than 1 million displaced Syrians in Lebanon, putting pressure on the Lebanese economy, which was already weak, and on the public debt, which stands at more $64 billion. All those factors are posing an existential crisis, according to what Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said at a news conference on July 4.

    Lebanon is mired in crises of the presidency, parliament, government, security and the economy, as well as the issues of employee demands, student exams, electricity, water and hot weather. The only thing missing to complete the apocalyptic scene was a literal earthquake … which just happened. On July 6, shortly after midnight, a magnitude-4.1 earthquake shook southern Lebanon, followed by a few aftershocks. They caused no damage or injuries. But the picture is now complete in the Lebanese satirical impressions: It’s the end of the world. It will be a long and final apocalyptic summer … before either a complete solution or the end.

  • Instability scaring off some oil, gas bidders | Business , Lebanon | THE DAILY STAR
    http://dailystar.com.lb/Business/Lebanon/2013/Jul-12/223377-instability-scaring-off-some-oil-gas-bidders.ashx#axzz2YvdyMHJI

    L’article expose aussi le point de vue de Mohammad Kabani, député du 14 mars, qui presse pour une exploitation rapide des hydrocarbures situés près de la frontière maritime, craignant une mainmise isréalienne sur ces ressources

    Head of Lebanon’s energy parliamentary committee MP Mohammad Qabbani said Thursday that Lebanon had four months to come up with a plan to safeguard its oil and gas wealth.

    “Lebanon should start drilling from the south of our exclusive economic zone in the first licensing round to guarantee our rights. ... The priority should be given to the border blocks 8, 9, and 10 which are in close proximity to Karish,” the MP told a news conference.

    He also called for the establishment of a national oil and gas company, adding that a draft law would be prepared in this regard.

    Bashir Bassatne, manager of BB Energy, echoed Qabbani’s call to start awarding contracts for blocks in the EEZ’s southern region. He added that reservoirs in the area were most likely to stretch across the borders not only with Israel but also with Cyprus.

    “In the absence of an agreement to divide natural resources, an unlikely outcome [given Lebanon and Israel’s state of war], it will be a race over who exploits the wealth first,” he said.

    #Liban
    #Israël
    #hydrocarbures
    #énergie
    #pétrole
    #gaz_naturel
    #frontière_maritime