PM Salam Launches Qlayaat Airport Redevelopment — Lebanon's Second Aviation Hub

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam attended the formal launch of the redevelopment of René Mouawad Airport in Qlayaat, Akkar district, on June 6, 2026 — a major infrastructure investment aimed at creating a second civilian aviation hub and reducing dependence on Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut. The contract was awarded to Sky Lounge Services, a Beirut-based private aviation firm. The terminal is targeted for completion within 90 days following required approvals, with capacity goals of 114,000 passengers per year in Year 1, scaling to over 600,000 passengers per year by Year 4. The project was framed as a key driver for economic development in Akkar governorate, where poverty rates reach 62% compared to 33% nationally. The Salam government presented the project as evidence that state investment in the periphery was possible alongside the ongoing war in the south. The Qlayaat airport, located on Lebanon's northern coast, dates to the French Mandate era and had been largely dormant for decades.