Lebanon has approved a license for Elon Musk’s Starlink to offer satellite-based internet services in the crisis-stricken nation where infrastructure remains severely strained. Information Minister Paul Morcos announced late Thursday that Starlink operated by Musk’s SpaceX will provide internet connectivity across the country. Lebanon licenses Elon Musks Starlink The decision comes nearly three months after Musk held a phone conversation with President Joseph Aoun expressing interest in contributing to Lebanon’s telecommunications and internet sectors. At the same Cabinet meeting the government also appointed regulatory authorities for the electricity and telecom sectors. Naming a regulatory authority for Lebanons corruption-plagued electricity sector has been a key demand by international organisations. The naming of a regulatory authority for the electricity sector was supposed to be done more than 20 years ago but there have been repeated delays by the countrys authorities. The move is seen as a key reform for a sector that wastes over $1 billion a year in the small Mediterranean nation. State-run Electricite du Liban or EDL is viewed as one of Lebanons most wasteful institutions and plagued by political interference. It has cost state coffers about $40 billion since the 1975-90 civil war ended. How Is Lebanon Facing A Crisis? Since taking office earlier this year Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have vowed to work on implementing reforms and fighting corruption and decades-old mismanagement to get Lebanon out of an economic crisis that the World Bank has described as among the worlds worst since the 1850s. Lebanon has for decades faced long hours of electricity cuts but the situation became worse following an economic meltdown that began in late 2019. The 14-month Israel-Hebzollah war that ended in late November also badly damaged electricity and other infrastructure in parts of Lebanon. In April the World Bank said it will grant Lebanon a $250 million loan that will be used to help ease electricity cuts. (With Inputs From PTI)