Prime Minister Najib Miqati thanked Friday the Iraqi government “for supporting Lebanon in these difficult circumstances,” the National News Agency said.
Miqati’s statement came after he was briefed by the Minister of Energy Walid Fayyad about the procedures for the arrival of the first Iraqi fuel ship to the Deir Amar electrical plant.
Iraq had signed an agreement with the Lebanese government under which Lebanon would receive fuel oil to ease its severe power shortage in exchange for “goods and services” instead of cash.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi had confirmed during a call with Miqati that “his country is willing to support Lebanon by all means.”
Miqati stressed that “the government will make all efforts to address the electricity rationing issue and improve the power generation.”
He added that the government will be “working in parallel on a radical solution to the power crisis by diversifying energy sources and giving priority to natural gas and renewable energy.”
Miqati went on to say that the implementation of the electricity sector plan and power related reforms are noted in the ministerial statement.