The energy crisis is an ongoing problem in Lebanon. The energy ministers of Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, and Syria convened in Amman, Jordon on September 8 to discuss emergency measures and the transportation of gas to Lebanon. The Lebanese have been desperately waiting for this crisis to end soon as they have witnessed the effects of the energy crisis in their daily lives. Some of them blamed the government for this emergency as many have been suffering from the lack of basic commodities such as medicine.

Before the energy crisis in Lebanon emerged, fuel oil was transported to the country through the Arab Gas Pipeline (AGP), a trans-regional natural gas pipeline that carries natural gas from Egypt to Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. However, the 2011 Syrian war damaged the pipeline in Egypt, cutting off the oil supply to Lebanon. In 2010, Lebanon started importing natural gas from different countries, but these imports ceased in 2012 due to attacks and sabotage during the civil war in Syria, which began in 2011.

According to Yesar Al-Maleki, a reporter at the Middle East Institute, Iraq viewed the fuel deal (Lebanon importing natural gas from its neighboring countries) as a way to obtain products, services, and human resources, including experts in the fields of banking, medicine, and insurance. In addition to this, Lebanon and Iraq signed an agreement on October 4, which will facilitate information and business exchange between the two countries. This deal intends to strengthen the bilateral trading activities of both countries in fields such as agriculture, commerce, and industry.

On the other hand, political issues have complicated the oil agreement because the government of Iraq is careful not to be viewed as assisting Lebanon’s pro-Iran party, thus delaying the finalization of the governmental framework agreement between Baghdad and Beirut. In a report by Chatham House, it is said that as long as the energy sector of Lebanon is politicized and war rages in Syria, political division in Lebanon will only deepen, which will further affect the development of gas and oil resources.

Fuel Deals Gone Awry

Several circumstances have made the fuel deals of Lebanon to backfire. One of these is the Beirut-Baghdad deals which were made complicated by political factions involving Lebanon, leading to a delay in reaching a final agreement. Another is the deal made with Syria to help Lebanon with its energy crisis through the use of a transit that will run in Syria’s territory, bringing electricity and gas. However, in order to supply energy, work is needed to fix the infrastructure of Syria which has been ravaged by war.

The political system in Lebanon tends toward sectarianism and is known to be corrupt. It also faces constant interference with Iran, Israel, and Syria. The political system is built on a sectarian power-sharing structure and controlled by Hezbollah – a powerful group classified as a terrorist organization by the United States (U.S.) and several other countries. Hezbollah is both a rebel army and political group supported by Lebanon’s population of Shiite Muslims, who are members of Shi’a, the second-largest branch of Islam. Hezbollah has made its own decision to manage an arrangement with Iran to secure oil for Lebanon, which could complicate matters with the U.S. and its allies since there is a rivalry between the U.S. and Iran. This has prevented the country from resolving the energy crisis. The repercussions of Hezbollah’s operations and corruption have started to become apparent in business and society, according to the report by Chatham House.

According to Doctor Lee Kyungsoo (Institute of Middle East Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies), there has currently been no further progress in the situation surrounding Iraqi fuels even though Lebanon sells Iraq’s fuel so that both can be in a win-win situation. The current energy crisis in Lebanon requires the help of neighboring countries; oil from Iran has arrived via Syria, and natural gas from Egypt through the AGP will arrive in Lebanon via Jordan and Syria. In September, Lebanon negotiated with Syria to receive natural gas through the AGP from Egypt to Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

The Crippling Effects of Power Shortages

Lebanon has been experiencing dangerous consequences due to the energy crisis. Not only has the country lost its fuel reserves, but several government departments have been impacted, especially those regarding healthcare. The preventable deaths of patients at hospitals have been unavoidable due to power shutdowns. According to Suleiman Haroun, private hospital union head at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, 15 children and 40 patients would be at risk in the following months because they are dependent on respirators run by electricity. Other causes of this problem are the severe shortage of medicines, medical supplies, and the lack of medical centers which are also attributed to the financial meltdown due to problems with oil.

Doctor Lee observed that due to the continuing energy crisis, institutions and companies that need to use electricity, such as hospitals, schools, restaurants, and food manufacturing, are unable to operate normally. According to Organization for World Peace, electricity bills are also on the rise due to the lack of fuel, so only those who can afford their electric bills have access to electricity. Meanwhile, with only an hour of electricity per day, households have difficulties refrigerating food, while some do not have enough money to buy food due to the economic crisis, which has led to food and water shortages. Doctor Lee also added that the Lebanese have not been able to enjoy a comfortable life because the social infrastructure has not been improved since the civil war in 2011, and they are stressed due to the many events (such as COVID-19, tensions in Persian Gulf) that have occurred since 2019.

Doctor Lee went on to explain that the current rulers of Lebanon have no intention of reforming the current political system, while the public is too dispirited to lead a revolution. It is difficult to stay optimistic about Lebanon’s future and it is possible that the world is heading towards another failed state. The defaults in payment of Lebanon’s debts caused the current energy crisis while the political issues make it more difficult to resolve the power crisis, resulting in the suffering of the nation and its people.