The LIMS Leaders’ Academy (LLA 301) held its final regional workshop for Mount Lebanon, gathering 20 participants from the districts of Byblos and Chouf to explore policy solutions at the municipal level. Timed just ahead of the upcoming municipal elections—after nearly a decade since the last election—the session took on added significance, with several attendees running for office.

Participants advanced a range of proposals focused on improving essential services and unlocking local economic potential. A key initiative championed the decentralization of water management by empowering municipalities to partner with private sector actors. This model would allow for more localized, efficient, and equitable distribution of water resources—an increasingly urgent priority in Lebanon’s strained infrastructure landscape.

Another proposal focused on accelerating clean energy adoption through enabling private investment in local solar and renewable energy solutions. Waste management, a long-standing national challenge, also featured prominently. One group unveiled a campaign to urge municipal candidates to adopt detailed waste management plans, centered on competition among waste collectors and grassroots mobilization through community influencers.

A fourth initiative tackled the decline in rural livelihoods, proposing the establishment of local farmers’ markets to boost agricultural sustainability. The plan envisions a collaborative framework involving municipalities, landowners, donors, and residents to support local produce and stimulate rural economic recovery.

The momentum generated by the workshop has sparked wider political interest. In the wake of the event, several political parties reached out to LIMS to develop tailored training programs focused on local governance issues. LIMS policy analyst Khaled Abou Chakra subsequently participated in a series of community workshops under the banner “My Town’s Growth Starts with My Municipality,” held in Baakleen, Aammatour, Ain Zhalta, and Chanay. In his presentations, Abou Chakra emphasized Lebanon’s chronic struggles with natural resource management. He underscored the potential for municipalities to allow the private sector to design solutions such as solar energy systems, decentralized water networks, and competitive waste collection. Those solutions would reduce costs, enhance efficiency, and improve environmental outcomes.

• The Municipal Movement Continues: ‘Progressive’ Opens A New Development Debate From The Heart Of The Mountain, March 31, 2025: Al Anbaa Online, Article AR