Beirut – May 13, 2025 – The Ministry of Environment (MoE) in Lebanon and UNOPS signed today an agreement under the “Community-based Wildfire Risk Management in Lebanon’s Vulnerable Landscapes” project which aims to support Lebanon in managing forest fire risks and actual occurrences in a more timely and effective manner and integrating forest fire risk considerations into the sustainable management of forest landscapes.

The project, financed by a US$3.48 million grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and approved in October 2024, is administered by the World Bank.
Under this agreement, and as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Lebanon’s wildfire preparedness and forest resilience, UNOPS will support the first responders through the provision of critical equipment, vehicles, and communication systems for early warning and rapid response.

The project also includes the establishment of local joint operations centers to coordinate fire response efforts. In parallel, technical assistance will be provided to conduct biodiversity assessments, develop forest and wildfire management plans, and support sustainable forest practices. Post-fire restoration activities will focus on reforestation, slope stabilization, and the rehabilitation of fire-affected landscapes, reinforcing Lebanon’s commitment to protecting its natural resources and communities.

The Lebanese Minister of Environment, H.E. Tamara El Zein said, “ I sincerely hope that this agreement marks the beginning of many fruitful partnerships and projects with UNOPS and the World Bank. This project is very important as it lays the ground for a comprehensive national early warning system for hazards in Lebanon, mainly floods and wildfires. A system of this nature will help us save lives, protect livelihoods, and strengthen our national preparedness and response capacities.” “The implementation of this important project builds on a strong partnership between the implementing agencies, local government authorities and communities”, said Jean-Christophe Carret, World Bank Division Director for the Middle East Department. “While the World Bank will bring technical expertise and global knowledge in this field for various other countries, we are also eager to share lessons learned from this project with other countries in the Mediterranean region affected by wildfires. We look forward to working with MoE and UNOPS on the implementation of this project.”

Muhammad Usman Akram, Representative and Director of UNOPS Operational Hub in Amman, said: “Building on our existing partnership with the Ministry of Environment and the World Bank, UNOPS aims to contribute to reducing the wildfires risks in Lebanon and preserving Lebanon’s forests through policy support, cross-sector collaboration, gender-responsive capacity building and investments in forest management. The planned localized activities will demonstrate best practices to scale up and secure additional resources to ensure sustainable management and wildfire risk reduction.”

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About UNOPS:

UNOPS offers practical solutions to the UN and other partners, across peace and security, humanitarian and development operations. UNOPS mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.
We help the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, and deliver sustainable infrastructure and procurement in an efficient way. Read more: www.unops.org

UNOPS Operational Hub in Amman implements projects in Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon,
Syria, and Yemen and implements work in partnership with bilateral and multilateral donors, national governments and other UN agencies.

For Press Inquiries, please contact:
Anwar Abu Sakieneh, Communications Specialist (UNOPS)
Mobile number: +962 7 9902 6315 AnwarAB@unops.org or +962 6 5902122