LEBANON – Every year on May 17, World Telecommunications and Information Society Day is celebrated, an occasion established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to highlight the vital role of telecommunications in connecting the world, bridging the digital divide, and promoting economic and social development through technology.
On this occasion, the Lebanese Ministry of Telecommunications presented its vision and strategy for the coming phase, reaffirming its commitment to restoring Lebanon’s role as a regional hub for telecommunications and digital services, leveraging its geographic location and Lebanese expertise.
Vision and Strategy
The Ministry’s vision focuses on restoring Lebanon’s regional role in the telecommunications sector.
Current priorities include developing infrastructure, expanding the fiber-optic network, and the gradual rollout of 5G services as part of a three-year plan.
Infrastructure and Challenges
The Ministry notes that the telecommunications sector faces several challenges, including aging parts of the network, high operating costs, particularly fuel prices, and damage to infrastructure in some areas due to Israeli attacks.
In response, teams from the Ministry, Ogero, and both mobile operators are working on rehabilitating networks, improving internet quality, and expanding coverage in a gradual and sustainable manner.
Supporting the Digital Economy
The telecommunications sector was described as the backbone of any digital economy, as improving internet speed and service quality directly supports startups, SMEs, and the expansion of digital services in Lebanon.
Attracting Investment
Regarding investment, the Ministry is working to provide a clear and stable regulatory environment aimed at attracting global tech companies, strengthening investor confidence, and encouraging investment in Lebanon while leveraging local talent.
Projects and Partnerships
Officials highlighted ongoing projects including expanding the fiber-optic network, developing mobile networks, and strengthening public-private partnerships to accelerate digital projects and sector development.
Youth and Skills
On the youth front, the Ministry is working with universities and the private sector to support training and develop digital skills, creating new job opportunities to help reduce the emigration of skilled professionals.
Lebanon is described as having exceptional young talent in technology and engineering. However, the main challenge remains creating local opportunities that turn the country into a producer of digital talent rather than an exporter of it.
The goal, it is emphasized, is to empower young people to find real opportunities in their homeland and to strengthen the digital transformation path as a key pillar of economic development.
Through this vision, the Ministry of Telecommunications outlines a more ambitious digital future for Lebanon, where challenges are transformed into opportunities and ambition becomes reality, restoring the country’s place on the regional telecommunications map while giving its youth a broader space to actively participate
