From Smart Government conference, PM Salam calls digital transformation essential for reform and trust-building

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam delivered a speech at the closing session of the “Smart Government: Diaspora Experts for Lebanon” conference, held under the patronage of President Joseph Aoun at Phoenicia Hotel.

He emphasized that “digital transformation is not a luxury for Lebanon, but a necessity. It is a reform that directly serves citizens—saving time, reducing corruption, and improving service quality. It is also a prerequisite for economic growth: without digital governance, there can be no investment that meets our ambitions. Without transparency, there can be no trust, and without modernization, there are no opportunities worthy of our youth to build their future in their homeland.”

He pointed out that “to succeed, full coordination between ministries and public administrations is essential. Lebanon cannot remain outside the digital world. We are determined to be part of the regional and global digital economy and to reconnect Lebanon to the knowledge and production networks of the 21st century.”

He announced that “Lebanon intends to join the Digital Cooperation Organization and has begun taking the necessary legal steps to do so, reaffirming its commitment to genuine integration into the regional and international digital economy.”

He added: “Shortly, we aim to launch digital projects that are financially viable and self-sustaining. We also seek to build a unified and centralized governmental digital infrastructure that ensures coordination among different administrations and enhances efficiency and good governance.”

He stressed that “digital transformation is a gateway to reforming state institutions and restoring citizens’ trust in them. Let this conference serve as a genuine starting point, not just a ceremonial event. We have much work ahead, but we also have the tools and partners. Let’s begin now.”