Lebanon’s Local Development Project for the Al-Fayhaa area kicks off in Tripoli

The Local Development Project (LDP) has begun implementation in Tripoli, marking the start of a UN-led effort to strengthen municipal governance and local development in Lebanon’s Al-Fayhaa area. Launched in late 2024 and led by UNDP Lebanon, the multi-year initiative carries an estimated budget of around $60 million funded by the German government, covers 10 Unions of Municipalities, and will run through late 2028. The Fayhaa Union of Municipalities—comprising Tripoli, Mina, Beddawi and Qalamoun—held its inaugural local development committee meeting in July to begin co-creating a five-year Local Development Plan for the wider Al-Fayhaa area.

"This initiative will help the Fayhaa Union of Municipalities develop a joint and shared plan for economic, social, and environmental goals. The most important aspect of this project is bringing together these minds representing key institutions to address shared goals," said Wael Zmerly, President of the Fayhaa Union of Municipalities.

Programme structure and local leadership

The Fayhaa committee brings together representatives from municipalities, civil society, the private sector, academia and local communities to co-design a Local Development Plan that will guide socioeconomic priorities for the next five years. Alain Chatry, North Area Manager at UNDP, presented during the kick-off meeting. The plan will focus on economic recovery, essential services and crisis response capacity while building governance mechanisms that enable cross-sector collaboration.

• Economic recovery: support for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), local value chains and cooperatives, with a particular focus on youth employment.
• Services and infrastructure: improved management and accessibility of water, waste and energy systems.
• Crisis preparedness: strengthened operational capabilities of frontline responders, including local Civil Defense units and Social Development Centers.
• Governance: establishment of mechanisms to foster collaboration across municipalities, communities and development partners.

The LDP’s nationwide implementation is supported by three partners: Beyond Group (a Lebanese management consulting firm), Chemonics International (a US-based development consultancy) and SHiFT Social Innovation Hub (a Lebanese social innovation hub). Bilal Al Ayoubi, CEO of SHiFT and Program Manager of the Fayhaa initiative, said: "Investing in local leadership, stronger governance, and inclusive partnerships has never been more important to shaping a more resilient and sustainable future. I am proud to see this vision move from design to implementation in the wider Al-Fayhaa area. Lasting development is built with communities – not for them."

UNDP Lebanon highlighted the novelty of the approach in Al-Fayhaa, noting that "for the first time, municipalities, communities, businesses, and development partners came together in the Al-Fayhaa Union of Municipalities to shape a shared vision for local development." Beyond Group added that the project "invests in institutional capacity and community ownership, building platforms that lead sustainable local development planning."

Outlook

The Fayhaa Union is the first of the 10 participating Unions to move into implementation; the remaining nine are scheduled to start across 2026 and 2027. Over the coming months the local development committee will co-create the region’s five-year socioeconomic strategy, identify priority interventions for MSME support and service upgrades, and work to operationalize coordination and crisis-response mechanisms. With funding secured through late 2028, the initiative aims to professionalize municipal governance and deliver tangible local impacts across North Lebanon and beyond.