(Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State) - President Bush has named a delegation of prominent U.S. business leaders who will travel to Lebanon for meetings with Prime Minister Siniora and Lebanese officials and business representatives to discuss plans for rebuilding and reconstruction, the White House announced September 23, reports Trend.
Upon their return, the four business leaders plan to launch a nationwide campaign in the U.S. for private donations to a fund for Lebanese reconstruction, according to the White House. The fund will complement the $230 million in aid pledged by the United States government.
The United States believes it is important that Prime Minister Fuad Siniora and Lebanon's young democracy succeed, says a State Department press release.
The fund will be managed by Global Impact, a leading U.S. nonprofit organization.
The business representatives are Craig Barrett, the chairman of Intel Corporation; John Chambers, the president and CEO of Cisco Systems; Yousif Ghafari, the chairman of GHAFARI, Inc.; and Ray Irani, the chairman, CEO and president of Occidental Petroleum Corporation.
The delegation will be headed by Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Dina Habib Powell and accompanied by the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, Jeffrey Feltman.