PRESIDENT AOUN FOLLOWS UP ON STAGES OF IMPLEMENTATION OF “AMAN” PROGRAM WITH MINISTER HAJJAR, HONORS WINNERS OF “L’ORÉAL-UNESCO FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE” PROGRAM

President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, met Social Affairs Minister, Hector Hajjar, today at the Presidential Palace.

Minister Hajjar indicated that his ministry began two months ago to implement the “Aman” program and pay the beneficiaries, whose number reached 10,000 citizens, to be carried out every Monday.

This process transfers a new batch of money to achieve the goal of the program and benefit 150 thousand families.

On the other hand, Minister Al-Hajjar clarified that the application of the financing card is awaiting financing by the World Bank.

Statement:

After the meeting, Minister Al-Hajjar made the following statement:

“His Excellency the President of the Republic reviewed the files that the Ministry of Social Affairs is following up, and he was briefed about the smallest details regarding the issue of employee salaries in light of some of the confusions faced by users in this issue, as well as with regard to the issue of grants and restrictions which are imposed by banks for employees to receive social assistance.

The issue of the “Aman” network and the stages of implementation of this program have been reached with the start of payments to beneficiaries on a weekly basis, and we have consulted with President Aoun and took his directions on the issue of displaced Syrians”.

Questions & Answers:

In response to a question about the stages of completion of the “Aman” program and the latest developments regarding the financing card, Minister Al-Hajjar said: “With regard to the “Aman” program, we have started two months ago to pay the beneficiaries and every Monday a new batch of money is transferred to reach the goal that we set. In the program, 150,000 families will benefit.

We have started implementing the program since last March, as promised to the Lebanese.

There are about 10,000 citizens who receive messages from the ministry and started receiving money since 1/1/2022.

As for the financing card, there is nothing new in this matter, and we previously indicated that we have accomplished what must be accomplished on our part, and we are waiting for the World Bank to implement its promise to finance this card after the Lebanese state has accomplished everything necessary.

With regard to the difficulties that employees face in obtaining their salaries from banks, especially social assistance, Minister Hajjar explained that he visited the governor of the Banque du Liban during the past week, and stressed during the meeting that “it is not possible to impose restrictions on how to receive grants and aid because it is a right, and the governor has issued a decision calling on banks to pay salaries and grants and we are waiting for the application”.

Minister Hajjar also pointed out that “During the meeting with the governor, the issue of associations that must receive more than 8 million pounds per month was also discussed, and the governor asked the ministry to provide him with files related to these associations, and they were sent yesterday to the Banquedu Liban”.

“I hope to meet within 48 hours with the governor. Let us see in practice the practical mechanism for allowing associations to withdraw more than 8 million per month, as well as the issue of localizing salaries and the issue of fresh dollars” Hajjar added.

In response to a question about the oversight of associations, Minister Hajjar said: “I am now talking about associations that have sponsorship contracts with the Ministry of Affairs, which are subject to oversight and the Audit Bureau. As for the NGOs that have been established since 2019, they are under the oversight of the Ministry of Interior”.

Honoring the winners of the “L’Oréal_UNESCO For Women in Science” program:

President Aoun honored the winners of the “L’Oréal-UNESCOFor Women in Science” program, and awarded Dr. Abla MahiouEl-Sibai of the American University of Beirut, the National Order of the Cedar, knight, in appreciation of her achievements.

Dr. Sibai is one of the five women among the “exceptional scientists” on International-global level.

The President also honored Dr. Laura Joy Pauls from Saint Joseph University, one of the fifteen women in the world, in the category of “Rising International Talents” at the regional level.

In addition, President Aoun honored Dr. Heba Rajha from Saint Joseph University, and Rachel Njeim, a doctoral student in the the American University of Beirut, and they are among the fourteen women who were chosen regionally for their “advanced scientific research”.

The women were honored during a ceremony held on February 11, 2022 at the Dubai Exhibition Center “Expo 2022_Dubai”.

The ceremony at Baabda Palace was attended by Father Salim Daccache, President of Saint Joseph University, Dr. Raymond Sawaya, representing Dr. Fadlo Khoury, President of the American University of Beirut, Dr. Moeen Hamza, Secretary General of the National Council for Scientific Research and Chairman of the Jury, Ms. Emily Wahab Harb, Administrative Director of L’Oréal-Lebanon, and a number of the academic figures at Saint Joseph University and the American University, and administrators in the L’Oréal-Lebanon Company.

At the beginning of the ceremony, the Managing Director of L’Oréal Emily Wahab gave the following speech:

“Your Excellency, we are honored today to meet with you to honor four distinguished women in the L’Oréal UNESCO Program for Women in Science, and we are pleased to have the participation in this meeting, Father Salim Daccache, President of Saint Joseph University, Dr. Fadlo Khoury, President of the American University of Beirut, and Dr. Moeen Hamza Amin, General of the National Council for Scientific Research and Chairman of the Jury.

We appreciate your patronage for excellence and your interest in promoting science and technology, and we always look forward to your valuable initiatives in supporting Lebanese women and highlighting their effective role in various fields, protecting them from marginalization and exclusion, in addition to highlighting their capabilities and competence that are recognized by the whole world.

L’Oréal is committed to the advancement and empowerment of women in society and to ensuring gender equality in access to training and promotion because L’Oréal believes in gender justice as a success criterion and a primary driver for innovation. What is true in the world of business is also true in the world of science.

Stemming from the firm conviction that the world needs science, and science needs women, the L’Oréal Foundation, in partnership with UNESCO, launched the “For Women in Science” program in 1998 with the aim of empowering women in science, recognizing their scientific excellence, and helping talented female scientists to obtain the recognition that they deserve it.

In doing so, the program is committed to improving the representation of women in science, particularly in senior decision-making positions.

The program also has benefited more than 3,900 female scientific researchers from 117 countries at the doctoral and post-doctoral stages.

We are proud to announce that Lebanon’s share was the most important at the global level in the various stages of the program, and the highest in the Arab world.

At the global level, the program annually awards five leading female researchers, one from every continent, in recognition of their exceptional achievements and contributions to scientific progress. Thanks to the high level of scientific research in Lebanon, during the past five years, Lebanese women researchers have won this award three times for the continent of Africa and the Arab countries, in a precedent that the program had not known before.

Mr. President, I am pleased to present to you Dr. Abla MahiouAl-Sibai from the American University of Beirut, who is one of the three women scientists who have received the most important and most prestigious awards for excellence that will be presented to her in a huge ceremony in Paris next June, as a winner for Africa and the Arab countries.

I also have the honor to present to you Dr. Laura Joy Pauls and Dr. Heba Rajiha from Saint Joseph University and Ms. Rachel Njeim from the American University of Beirut, who received L’Oréal prizes for their PhD and post-doctoral research.

We appreciate the efforts of universities and the National Council for Scientific Research in supporting research and empowering Lebanese women, as they deserve your support and trust in their national cause par excellence.

Mr. President, we thank you once again for welcoming us today and for your continued support for Lebanese women in general, and for women in science in particular”.

Dr. Shedid:

Then the Director General of Protocols at the Presidency of the Republic, Dr. Nabil Shedid, delivered the following speech:

“Dear guests, it is an honor for the Presidential Palace to host Lebanese women scientists, pioneers in the field of scientific research at the international level.

Today, His Excellency President Michel Aoun is pleased to honor Dr. Abla El Sibai, Professor of Epidemiology, at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the American University of Beirut, and will confer upon her the National Order of the Cedar, in recognition of her research and her call to improve healthy aging in low-lying countries. and middle income.

Dear audience, as Lebanon is proud of the success of its pioneering women scientists, including Dr. Laura Joy Boulos, Dr. Heba Rajha and Miss Rachel Njeim, Lebanon hopes that their success will motivate Lebanese women to confirm their presence on the global map in research and scientific development, so there are more dates for success and progress.

President Aoun:

Then President Aoun presented the National Order of the Cedar, rank of Knight, to Dr. Abla Mahiou Al-Sibai, and spoke welcoming the attendees and congratulating the honorees.

The President stressed the importance of science and its development, as well as the importance of scientists who raise the name of their country high.

President Aoun then ddressed the honored ladies, saying: “I am proud of your achievements today, and proud of the women who make the achievements. There are those who say that women are weaker than men, and I do not agree with this opinion, because women and men are equal in rights and in different jobs, and it shows the superiority and achievements of women in universities”.

Moreover, President Aoun praised the achievements of the honorees and their usefulness on the social level and said: “We salute Saint Joseph University and the American University of Beirut, and we always hope that there will be female graduates like you in the scientific field”.

“Women suffer from a lack of some rights, and I am one of their advocates for obtaining these rights, whether personally or directly, or through my daughter Claudine, who chairs the National Commission for Women’s Affairs” President Aoun continued.

Former Minister Sarraf:

President Aoun met former Minister Yaacoub Al-Sarraf and deliberated with him political developments.

The needs of Akkar, and the issue of the military hospital were also discussed.

Director General of State Security and his Deputy:

The President signed Decree No. 8998 on April 6, 2022 accepting the resignation of the Director-General of State Security, Major General Tony Saliba from his current job at his request and referring him to retirement, and re-appointing him as Director-General of State Security in the staff of the General Directorate of State Security.

President Aoun also signed Decree No. 8999 dated April 6, 2022 transferring Administrative Brigadier General Hassan Choucair from the army to the General Directorate of State Security and appointing him as Deputy Director General.

Source: National News Agency