Prince Walid: I Have full confidence in Lebanon’s future

During the opening ceremonies of the Four Seasons hotel in downtown Beirut on Tuesday, Saudi Prince Walid bin Talal reiterated his commitment to support Lebanon, saying he has “confidence in Lebanon’s future.”

The opening of the hotel was held under the patronage of President Michel Suleiman, during which the president, Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Speaker Nabih Berri attended the event.

Bin Talal also said that political stability led to an increase in Lebanon’s economic growth.

The prince, a member of the Saudi Royal Family is the grandson of Lebanon’s former first PM Riad el Solh.

As of March 2010, his net worth is estimated at US$19.4 billion, up from $13.3 billion, according to Forbes, making him the 19th richest person in the world on their list published in March 2010. He has been nicknamed by Time magazine as the Arabian Warren Buffett.

Photo: Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal (2nd R) welcomes Lebanon’s President Michel Suleiman (2nd L), Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri (R), and Lebanese Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri (L) during the opening of the Four Seasons hotel in Beirut, June 22, 2010.

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  • Tony A

    i had no idea this guy is half lebanese. on top of that, the opening of the four seasons. another hotel to try out when i visit lebanon.

    le royal was spectacular, abou philippe resort was low class with roaches and stuff, intercontinental was good and now we can enjoy the four seasons.

    yallah lebanon now let’s have 24/24 electricity and no one running red lights and actually driving in their lanes would be the next step to a civilised country on the rise.

  • Tony A

    i had no idea this guy is half lebanese. on top of that, the opening of the four seasons. another hotel to try out when i visit lebanon.

    le royal was spectacular, abou philippe resort was low class with roaches and stuff, intercontinental was good and now we can enjoy the four seasons.

    yallah lebanon now let’s have 24/24 electricity and no one running red lights and actually driving in their lanes would be the next step to a civilised country on the rise.

  • Lebster

    Of course he has full confidence in Lebanon..he wouldn’t be investing $$$$
    But people need cheap affordable housing not freaking expensive hotels that they cannot afford on their $200 a month salary.

  • Lebster

    Of course he has full confidence in Lebanon..he wouldn’t be investing $$$$
    But people need cheap affordable housing not freaking expensive hotels that they cannot afford on their $200 a month salary.

  • Tony A

    yo lebster,

    hotels aren’t for locals bro. i mean here in vancouver, my wife and i every now and then take what we call a local holiday. that means we actually leave our home downtown and stay in a hotel downtown just so we can swim, eat, have our rooms cleaned for a couple of days and visit the jacuzzi.

    its actually very relaxing. even though i can stay at my dads huge house in lebanon, its nice to go to the hotel and ride the ATVs, telefrique and whatever.

    anyway, you don’t want cheap housing bro, cos that’s getting into the welfare scenario and thta means that these same people won’t pay their electricity bills.

    people getting a $200 month salary which is excessively low cos we pay our help around $400 usually have rooms in the house they’re employed at.

    just an opinion.

  • Tony A

    yo lebster,

    hotels aren’t for locals bro. i mean here in vancouver, my wife and i every now and then take what we call a local holiday. that means we actually leave our home downtown and stay in a hotel downtown just so we can swim, eat, have our rooms cleaned for a couple of days and visit the jacuzzi.

    its actually very relaxing. even though i can stay at my dads huge house in lebanon, its nice to go to the hotel and ride the ATVs, telefrique and whatever.

    anyway, you don’t want cheap housing bro, cos that’s getting into the welfare scenario and thta means that these same people won’t pay their electricity bills.

    people getting a $200 month salary which is excessively low cos we pay our help around $400 usually have rooms in the house they’re employed at.

    just an opinion.

  • Lebster

    Exactly ..Hotels are for tourists from outside Lebanon Tony. The prince is there to make $$$ 1st then help Lebanon, maybe. I really don’t see the benefit for the Lebanese in this current situation. As for low income housing, who in Lebanon, working newly weds can afford a place? Most people shack up with their parents because they cannot afford anything and please don’t tell me no, I know several such cases.

  • Lebster

    Exactly ..Hotels are for tourists from outside Lebanon Tony. The prince is there to make $$$ 1st then help Lebanon, maybe. I really don’t see the benefit for the Lebanese in this current situation. As for low income housing, who in Lebanon, working newly weds can afford a place? Most people shack up with their parents because they cannot afford anything and please don’t tell me no, I know several such cases.

  • Tony A

    lebster habebi i’m not disagreeing with you bro. but its not the prince’s duty.

    you got these idiots in the gov’t squabbling over power while israel is siphoning the gas and oil. how much dumber do they wanna become.

    hizbollah with all the money it gets from iran can easily rebuild the dahiyeh and you got the rest of the millionaires that can easily build these housings you’re talking about but are too busy worrying about petty things that dont mean anything to the well being of the lebanese.

    Aoun like an idiot is like a servant serving this side and that side.

    gaegae’s in egypt, jumblatt cares about the palestinians, hareeri makes love to saudi arabia, berri likes yelling, nasrallah loves collecting weapons, gmayel’s always angry about nothing and israel likes to keep agitating them and they feed on it while israel siphones everything.

    i totally agree with you man but i wish i cann give a better solution other than forget about israel, dig for gas and oil and lebanon will be able to build anything you want for all the lebanese.

  • Tony A

    lebster habebi i’m not disagreeing with you bro. but its not the prince’s duty.

    you got these idiots in the gov’t squabbling over power while israel is siphoning the gas and oil. how much dumber do they wanna become.

    hizbollah with all the money it gets from iran can easily rebuild the dahiyeh and you got the rest of the millionaires that can easily build these housings you’re talking about but are too busy worrying about petty things that dont mean anything to the well being of the lebanese.

    Aoun like an idiot is like a servant serving this side and that side.

    gaegae’s in egypt, jumblatt cares about the palestinians, hareeri makes love to saudi arabia, berri likes yelling, nasrallah loves collecting weapons, gmayel’s always angry about nothing and israel likes to keep agitating them and they feed on it while israel siphones everything.

    i totally agree with you man but i wish i cann give a better solution other than forget about israel, dig for gas and oil and lebanon will be able to build anything you want for all the lebanese.

  • http://RottenLebaneseSectarianSystem Sebouh Akharjalian

    The problem is Lebanese cabinet ministers and the government are composed of elitists who only serve the interests of the rich Oligarchs.

    The sad truth is that the ordinery people have huge confidence in them for creating the so called better Lebanon.

    Wake up People…….

  • http://www.forabetterlebanon.wordpress.com Marillionlb

    @ Lebster, just a note. Do not forget that Al Waleed Bin Talal has sponsored many charities and gave money to Lebanese from all sects throughout his charitable organization. As for any hidden agenda he might have (becoming prime minister some pople claim) is left to be seen.

  • http://www.forabetterlebanon.wordpress.com Marillionlb

    @ Lebster, just a note. Do not forget that Al Waleed Bin Talal has sponsored many charities and gave money to Lebanese from all sects throughout his charitable organization. As for any hidden agenda he might have (becoming prime minister some pople claim) is left to be seen.

  • Lebster

    I fully agree with you…This is a very insightful view of things.

  • Lebster

    I fully agree with you…This is a very insightful view of things.

  • Lebster

    Well of course he sponsored charities but what kind? Did he give to all Lebanese regardless of sect? You give 1st to charity, look good, get people’s confidence and then open a few businesses to make back the $$$ and some more. As far as a hidden agenda I have no idea either but it wouldn’t surprise me. Once you don’t have money problems and secure yourself, you want power.

  • Lebster

    Well of course he sponsored charities but what kind? Did he give to all Lebanese regardless of sect? You give 1st to charity, look good, get people’s confidence and then open a few businesses to make back the $$$ and some more. As far as a hidden agenda I have no idea either but it wouldn’t surprise me. Once you don’t have money problems and secure yourself, you want power.

  • Tony A

    lebster, at least he’s giving to charities habeebi just like rafik hariri had scholarships for any student regardless of religion. dont ever put down a person for wanting to be more successful and amass more wealth, i mean how else can that person give to charities, by being poor??

    just out of curiosity lebster, i see ads on this site for apts at $180,000. is that not cheap?? i think that’s cheap as hell but then again i live in vancouver and the cheapest place downtown is around the $400,000 range.

    please someone enlighten me cos how much cheaper do you want these places to sell for.

  • Tony A

    lebster, at least he’s giving to charities habeebi just like rafik hariri had scholarships for any student regardless of religion. dont ever put down a person for wanting to be more successful and amass more wealth, i mean how else can that person give to charities, by being poor??

    just out of curiosity lebster, i see ads on this site for apts at $180,000. is that not cheap?? i think that’s cheap as hell but then again i live in vancouver and the cheapest place downtown is around the $400,000 range.

    please someone enlighten me cos how much cheaper do you want these places to sell for.

  • rafik

    I met long time ago with my brother when I was visiting Lebanon they were in Aley resort and they were very gracious people and down to earth and I am thinking they raised their son to be likewise, why not a potential candidate for Premiership ,competition is always healthy.By the way his Mom knew more then his Dad how many wives Kink Saud had 52.

  • rafik

    I met long time ago with my brother when I was visiting Lebanon they were in Aley resort and they were very gracious people and down to earth and I am thinking they raised their son to be likewise, why not a potential candidate for Premiership ,competition is always healthy.By the way his Mom knew more then his Dad how many wives Kink Saud had 52.

  • John

    This guys is a really smart businessman. He has shares in hundreds of companies.

  • John

    This guys is a really smart businessman. He has shares in hundreds of companies.

  • joey

    you know what guys those people they are not giving you money for nothing they are paying for the rubbish we allawed them to put in our county they are paying for the palestinan war on lebanon they are not doing us any feaver money comes and go but you only have one country and you will always miss it where ever you are in the world

  • joey

    you know what guys those people they are not giving you money for nothing they are paying for the rubbish we allawed them to put in our county they are paying for the palestinan war on lebanon they are not doing us any feaver money comes and go but you only have one country and you will always miss it where ever you are in the world

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