lights up Lebanon’s poorest city with solar street lights

Forty years ago, Lebanon used to export power to its larger neighbor Syria. Today, the country barely generates enough electricity to keep street lamps on at night. While power outages have been an issue that has plagued Lebanon since the 1975-1990 civil war, the development in the electricity sector has been put on a brake as the country endures acute fuel shortages.

The government of Japan equipped the streets of El Mina in Tripoli, Lebanon’s poorest city with solar lighting systems, bridging the gap in the state’s lack of power supply due to fuel shortages through the use of alternative power sources.

Aerial view of the lit belltower of the Saint George Maronite Cathedral and the unlit minarets of the Mohammed al-Amin mosque near the Martyrs’ Square in the centre of Lebanon’s capital Beirut, with buildings in darkness during a power outage. (AFP)

Japan’s Ambassador to Lebanon OKUBO Takeshi visited the completion of the project on Thursday, and expressed his hopes for further implementation of such systems.

“I hope that this model project will be applied to other towns to provide lighting to neighborhoods at night in light of the power outage, which will enhance community security and activate the economic movement in the commercial streets,” Okubo said.

In a tweet posted by Okubo, he is seen standing near a solar light pole with a photovoltaic panel mounted at the top of it, showcasing the lighting systems that have been placed in El Mina.

The inadequate amount of lighting present on the streets exacerbates driving hazards by making it difficult for drivers to see potential hazards on the road such as pedestrians and cyclists.

The equipment of El Mina’s streets with solar lighting systems presents an urban solution that could be adapted across the country to deal with power shortages that have been posing major challenges.

The project also showcases the government of Japan’s continuous support to the Lebanese people as it illustrates their commitment towards the improvement of Lebanon’s infrastructure through multi-sectoral scalable projects that have substantial social impact.