Cabinet to Discuss Electoral Law, ESCWA HQ on Tuesday

The cabinet is scheduled to discuss the parliamentary elections draft law and several other issues during a session at Baabda palace on Tuesday.

The government has 79 items on its agenda. In addition to the electoral law, ministers are expected to discuss a suggestion by the foreign ministry to rent the Coral Beach building and turn it into a temporary headquarters for the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia.

The cost would be around 7 million dollars yearly, As Safir said, adding that the amount is much less than the rent of the current ESCWA headquarters in downtown Beirut.

The foreign ministry’s proposal calls for opening credits to build a new HQ for the U.N. in Dbayeh despite another suggestion to construct a single building that would host all of the 14 U.N. agencies.

That project would cost around 160 million dollars, As Safir said, adding that it has been suspended for its high cost. “The state treasury cannot alone afford it and Lebanon should get financial support from abroad to build the center.”

Ministerial sources expected the cabinet to discuss the issue of wages.