
Lebanese President Aoun reviews ties, cooperation with Iraqi official
LONDON: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun discussed ties and cooperation with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani during his visit to Iraq on Sunday.
Aoun stressed the importance of establishing an Arab mutual interest system to enhance shared interests among Arab countries during his meeting with Al-Sudani.
In a separate meeting with Rashid at the Presidential Palace in Baghdad, Aoun commended Iraq's support and donations, including fuel shipments to generate electricity, for the Lebanese people during the recent round of the Israeli-Hezbollah war, which flared up in September 2024.
Aoun said that Lebanon and Iraq face the challenge of terrorism, which is being addressed through security agencies in both countries.
The two presidents emphasized the urgency to end the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip and to support the Palestinian cause without allowing it to be compromised, according to the NNA agency.
Aoun said that Israel must withdraw from the five areas inside the Lebanese territory it has controlled since 2024 and stop its repeated attacks on the country that undermine peace efforts in the region.
Rashid affirmed Iraq's support for Lebanon and said that Baghdad views positively the recent developments in the country following the formation of the new government in early 2025.
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Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Lebanon embraces digital transformation as key to reform and recovery
BEIRUT: Lebanon has pledged to pursue comprehensive digital transformation, with President Joseph Aoun framing it as the nation's best hope to tackle corruption, moderne governance, and engage its skilled diaspora in rebuilding efforts. Speaking at the 'Smart Government, Diaspora Experts for Lebanon' conference in Beirut on June 3, Aoun described the initiative as a 'sovereign decision to build a better future.' The event, organized by the Lebanese Executives Council, aimed to connect Lebanon's global talent pool with efforts to revitalize both public and private sectors. The conference's core themes included smart governance, public sector reform, and private sector collaboration, all driven by digital innovation. Aoun emphasized that Lebanon must abandon outdated and corrupt administrative structures in favor of efficient, transparent systems. 'Digital transformation is not a technical choice. Digitalization is not just a government project; it is a national project.' He also announced Lebanon's application to join the Digital Cooperation Organization, a global body founded in 2020 to promote inclusive growth in the digital economy. Aoun criticized systemic corruption that forces citizens to navigate bureaucracy through bribery or political favors. He highlighted the need for a government that serves all Lebanese equally, free from sectarian or partisan influences. 'We want Lebanon to open up to regional and international partnerships and to be eligible for foreign investments. This goal is an absolute necessity, indispensable and unavoidable,' Aoun said. 'The time has come for them (the diaspora) to achieve it for their homeland and in their homeland.' The day-long conference brought together ministers, private sector leaders, and diaspora experts for panel discussions on digitizing Lebanon's institutions. Topics included the creation of a national digital ID, policy harmonization, and leveraging technology to reconstruct public services. In an interview with Arab News, LEC President Rabih El-Amine highlighted the importance of engaging the Lebanese diaspora. 'We know by fact that diaspora is willing to help, but they don't have the medium to offer this help, and we know by fact that the government needs this help, but they don't know how to reach the diaspora,' he said. El-Amine stressed that despite weak governance, Lebanon's private sector and diaspora have helped sustain the country. However, implementing modern laws and digital systems is now critical. He called the digital ID system a foundational step toward enabling services like passport renewals and license issuance. 'This is probably the starting point. But I think the biggest challenge for us is how we can make the government and the parliament work together in order to issue modern laws for this system to take place,' he added. Hajar El-Haddaoui, director general of the DCO, expressed strong confidence in Lebanon's digital potential, citing the country's talent pool and expansive diaspora. 'We trust that Lebanon does have all the ingredients to succeed during this digital economy transformation,' she told Arab News. She said the DCO's support will focus on investment, public-private partnerships, and capacity-building, including the Digital Economy Navigator program, which helps countries assess and close gaps in digital readiness. El-Haddaoui underscored the importance of aligned policies, strong infrastructure, and openness to international cooperation. 'Any digital economy or digital transformation needs harmonization of policies. That's really important and critical. Working on a regulation and standard of regulation is really one of the pillars of successful digital transformation,' she said. Fadi Makki, Lebanon's minister of state for administrative development affairs, also spoke at the conference, outlining key reforms to upgrade the country's administrative structures. 'We're far behind in digital readiness. We're trying to catch up through digital transformation, skilling, and reskilling programs,' he said. Makki explained that Lebanon lacks planning and performance monitoring units that are standard in functional governments. He proposed modernizing human resources and encouraging the private sector to deliver services, while the government ensures oversight. 'We don't want to compete with them (the private sector), but at the same time, we want to create opportunities for them while ensuring we provide the necessary oversight like any government,' he said. 'One of the missing functions in government is planning and performance monitoring. We don't have that. So, part of our work is creating these basic units, not just centrally but eventually in every ministry. Without them, we're building on weak foundations,' he added. The event also featured remarks from Lebanese American University's Chaouki Abdallah and panels with Minister of Technology and Artificial Intelligence Kamal Shehadi, along with global figures like Jad Bitar of the Boston Consulting Group. In closing, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam thanked all participants for their contributions and reaffirmed the government's resolve. 'Digital transformation in Lebanon is not a luxury but a necessity and a reform,' he said. 'It directly serves the citizens, reduces corruption, and enhances the quality of life. It is also a prerequisite for economic growth.' Salam called for full inter-ministerial coordination, asserting, 'Lebanon cannot remain outside the digital world or on its margins.' He concluded: 'We are determined to be part of the regional and global digital economy and to reconnect Lebanon with the chains of knowledge and production in the 21st century.' As Lebanon continues to navigate a complex political and economic crisis, the conference marked a clear call for reform. The message from both domestic and diaspora leaders was unambiguous: digital transformation is not only possible—it is imperative.

Al Arabiya
3 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Iran says it backs Lebanon in its push to end Israel's military presence
Iran's foreign minister said Tehran supports Lebanon's efforts to pressure Israel to end its military presence in parts of the country, including diplomatic moves 'to expel the occupiers.' Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi added on Tuesday that Iran looks forward to relations with Lebanon based on mutual respect under the new circumstances in the country following the Israel-Hezbollah war. Araghchi's visit comes after Iran's main Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, was weakened by the 14-month war with Israel that left much of the Iran-backed group's political and military leadership dead. Araghchi's visit is his first since October, which came at the height of the Israel-Hezbollah war that ended a month later with a US-brokered ceasefire. The war killed more than 4,000 in Lebanon, displaced over 1 million people and caused destruction that the World Bank said will cost $11 billion in reconstruction. Since the war ended, army commander Joseph Aoun was elected president and prominent jurist and diplomat Nawaf Salam became the country's prime minister. Both Aoun and Salam have repeatedly said that only the state will monopolize the use of weapons in Lebanon. The visit also comes after the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was removed from power in December by militant groups opposed to Iran's influence in the region. Al-Assad was one of Tehran's closest allies in the Arab world and his country was a main link for the flow of weapons from Iran to Hezbollah. Aoun told the visiting Iranian official during their meeting that Beirut wants 'to strengthen relations from state to state with Iran.' Aoun's comments were released by his office. Over the past decades, Iran has funded Hezbollah with billions of dollars and sent all types of weapons to the Lebanese group, which enjoys wide influence in the small Mediterranean nation. Since the Israel-Hezbollah war ended, Lebanese authorities have taken tight measures at Beirut's airport to prevent the flow of funds from Iran to Hezbollah and flights by Iranian companies have been suspended to Beirut. 'We look forward to having relations (with Lebanon) based on mutual respect and non-interference in each country's internal affairs,' Araghchi told reporters after meeting Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. He added that Iran backs a national dialogue in Lebanon between rival groups. Iran condemns the occupation of Lebanese territories 'by the Zionist entity and supports all efforts exerted by the Lebanese government and people to expel the occupiers through any way including diplomatic methods,' Araghchi said, referring to five posts Israel refused to withdraw from earlier this year. Iranian companies are ready to take part in Lebanon's reconstruction if the Lebanese government wants that, Araghchi said. Earlier Tuesday, Araghchi held talks with his Lebanese counterpart, Youssef Rajji, and discussed Iran's ongoing negotiations with the United States over Tehran's nuclear program.


Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
Lebanon on bumpy road to public transport revival
BEIRUT: On Beirut's chaotic, car-choked streets, Lebanese student Fatima Fakih rides a shiny purple bus to university, one of a fleet rolled out by authorities to revive public transport in a country struggling to deliver basic 19-year-old says the spacious public buses are 'safer, better and more comfortable,' than the informal network of private buses and minivans that have long substituted for mass transport.'I have my bus card — I don't have to have money with me,' she added, a major innovation in Lebanon, where cash is king and many private buses and minivans have no tickets at public transport system never recovered from the devastating 1975-1990 civil war that left the country in ruins, and in the decades since, car culture has before the economic crisis that began in 2019 — plunged much of the population into poverty and sent transport costs soaring — the country was running on empty, grappling with crumbling power, water and road public buses, now equipped with GPS tracking, have been slowly operate along 11 routes — mostly in greater Beirut but also reaching north, south and east Lebanon — with a private company managing operations. Fares start at about 80 told AFP the buses were not only safer and more cost-effective, but more environmentally also offer a respite from driving on Lebanon's largely lawless, potholed roads, where mopeds hurtle in all directions and traffic lights are system officially launched last July, during more than a year of hostilities between Israel and militant group Hezbollah that later slammed the brakes on some Daoud, 76, who remembers Lebanon's long-defunct trains and trams, said the public bus was 'orderly and organized' during his first World Bank's Beirut office told AFP that Lebanon's 'reliance on private vehicles is increasingly unsustainable,' noting rising poverty rates and vehicle operation Nasr, head of Lebanon's public transport authority, said passenger numbers now averaged around 4,500 a day, up from just a few hundred at said authorities hope to extend the network, including to Beirut airport, noting the need for more buses, and welcoming any international donated around half of the almost 100 buses now in circulation in and transport expert Tammam Nakkash said he hoped the buses would be 'a good start' but expressed concern at issues including the buses and minivans — many of them dilapidated and barrelling down the road at breakneck speed — cost similar to the public taxis are also ubiquitous, with fares starting at around $2 for short incidents of violence targeted the new public buses around their launch last and worker Daniel Imad, 19, said he welcomed the idea of public buses but had not tried them 'can go where they want for a low price' by taking shared taxis, he said before climbing into a one at a busy Beirut transport could also have environmental benefits in Lebanon, where climate concerns often take a back seat to daily challenges like long power blackouts.A World Bank climate and development report last year said the transport sector was Lebanon's second-biggest contributor to greenhouse gas and air pollution, accounting for a quarter of emissions, only behind the energy smaller initiatives have also popped up, including four hybrid buses in east Lebanon's Mneimne from the United Nations Development Programme said Lebanon's first fully electric buses with a solar charging system were set to launch this year, running between Beirut and Jbeil (Byblos) further the capital, university student Fakih encouraged everyone to take public buses, 'also to protect the environment.'Beirut residents often complain of poor air quality due to heavy traffic and private, diesel-fueled electricity generators that operate during power outages.'We don't talk about this a lot but it's very important,' she said, arguing that things could improve in the city 'if we all took public transport.'