Economy and Trade Minister, Raed Khoury, who is touring south Lebanon on Saturday, convened with the chamber of trade, industry and agriculture of Sidon and the south. 
Khoury listened to the concerns of industrialists and asserted to them that after the political stability the country achieved with the election of a president, it was now time for economic stability. 
"Stability cannot be solidified without hoisting the Lebanese economy out of its decline," he noted. 
"Lebanon enjoys countless capabilities that qualify it to accomplish prosperity...but political conditions affected its growth," Khoury said, explaining that the regional situation and the influx of Syrian refugees weighed heavily on the country's economy. 
Nevertheless, steps were being taken to enhance the situation by following the President's comprehensive developmental plan. 
"My visit to the south today is to relay a very clear message from the state, which is that the south is a main partner in any developmental project," added the Minister, promising that the state of depravation the south suffered from for decades was gone forever. 

source: NNA