NNA - Caretaker Minister of Economy and Trade, Amin Salam, left for Washington to partake in the annual spring meetings of the World Bank taking place at its headquarters in D.C., which will include a series of meetings with the US administration, namely the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the Treasury, Commerce and Justice, and a number of US Senate members.

Discussions will touch on the World Bank's work program in Lebanon, specifically the issues of food and social security and the energy program, including support for the emergency social safety net project in Lebanon and the Green Agricultural and Food Transformation (GATE) project, which the World Bank approved last year.

Minister Salam expects the outcome of the meetings to be positive, particularly in terms of the support provided by the international community and the World Bank in alleviating the severity of rampant poverty and aiding the most needy families through the social safety net program in Lebanon.

==========R.Sh.