By Georges Sassine

In order for Lebanon to create jobs and grow its economy, policy makers should identify the sectors and industries that will have the highest impact on Lebanon’s economy.

One way to go about this analysis is to compare potential industries along three variables:

1. The first is the industry’s potential contribution to Lebanon’s economy.
2. The second factor to consider is how easily these industries can be developed. This includes capital investment requirements; the need for new policies and regulations; and the availability of local talent and infrastructure to develop these industries.
3. The third factor is the number of new jobs created by industry. Some sectors are more labor intensive than others, which is an important element to consider.

I attempt to map different industries Lebanon can further develop along these three variables considering both quantitative and qualitative measures.

Please help me refine this analysis with additional insight and data you may have.

A summary of key findings include:

IT & Media industry

● Description: Hardware and software; cyber security; new and traditional media.
● Economic impact: Arab World online platform ~$1B by 2016 and 276 percent growth; recent studies estimate that when Internet penetration rises by 10 percent in emerging economies, it correlates with an incremental GDP increase of one to two percent.
● Ease of implementation: Talent available; established Media industry
● Jobs created: high level skills required.
● Enablers: Infrastructure; remove red tape; VC funding and support.

Tourism

● Description: Healthcare tourism; and others.
● Economic impact: Healthcare tourism market ~$1.2B; 30% growth potential.
● Ease of implementation: available talent; facilities need upgrading.
● Jobs created: labor intensive.
● Enablers: Investments; infrastructure; remove red tape.

Agriculture

● Description: Traditional agriculture; new/added Value agriculture.
● Economic impact: Exposure to large MENA market; today 80% of Lebanon’s food consumption is imported costing $1.5 Billion per year.
● Ease of implementation: Moderate climate and rich soil; underinvestment in Lebanon’s agriculture sector; low political support.
● Jobs created: labor intensive.
● Enablers: Agricultural policies; investments; infrastructure.

Oil and Gas

● Description: O&G production; LNG, refining & exports.
● Economic impact: Uncertain yet, but neighboring country’s offshore finds ~$80 Billion by 2040.
● Ease of implementation: Limited domestic expertise; high investment requirements.
● Jobs created: the oil and gas industry is a capital intensive industry rather than being labor intensive.
● Enablers: Regulations and governance; transparency; investments.

Manufacturing

● Description: Machinery; food & beverages; pharmaceuticals.
● Economic impact: Lebanon exports a large number of sophisticated products but they constitute only 2 percent of total Lebanese exports. A focus on increasing added value exports could significantly increase Lebanon’s manufacturing industry contribution.
● Ease of implementation: low political support.
● Jobs created: labor intensive.
● Enablers: Industrial policies; infrastructure; financing.

By Georges Sassine

Lebanon needs to fight persistent and widespread corruption in order to restore the trust of Lebanese citizens and foreign investors.

One approach is for Lebanon to draw from the experience of other countries, including Tunisia. And a specific example is a new anti-corruption website recently launched by the Tunisian government, which Lebanon can imitate.

The Tunisian “Anticorruption-Idara” website allows any citizen or public employee to report cases of corruption by filing a form online. The identity of the informer remains confidential and anonymous.

Tunisian officials set up this initiative to counteract corruption, nepotism, cronyism, and other forms of injustice in their country’s public sector.

However, three specific issues are raised regarding this website. First of all, the Tunisian site was only published in Arabic, which excludes non-Arabic speaking entrepreneurs and investors. To be effective, Lebanon should then consider a multilingual anti-corruption website.

The second issue is around the credibility of the reports. Given the anonymity of these claims, this tool can easily be used to launch false accusations against individuals. An effective verification mechanism will then be needed if such a website is used in Lebanon.

The third issue that is raised is the amount of resources required to monitor, verify, and implement such an initiative. While the idea of a website sounds simple, it could require significant financial and human resources to carry it through. This is why Lebanon would need to better understand the requirements to launch a successful anti-corruption platform.

In your opinion, is this initiative worth considering for Lebanon? And how should it be designed and implemented to help reduce corruption in our country?

By Georges Sassine

The majority of Lebanese residents are younger than 29 years old. The new generation of Lebanese has the responsibility to take a more active role in shaping its own future and the future of Lebanon.

Young Lebanese men and women should lead and be significantly more active in civil society, public service, and politics. We can only count on ourselves to voice our ambitions and our vision for Lebanon.

By Georges Sassine

Why do we need a new vision for Lebanon? How will this website contribute to developing a new vision for Lebanon? And what can you do about it?

For every moment that passes, Lebanon wastes another opportunity to fulfill its potential.

Some call it the Paris of the Middle East, the Switzerland of the Middle East, the great Phoenician civilization … all past glories that couldn’t be more removed from today’s reality.

The current state of division and stagnation is not sustainable. We all agree that we cannot continue on this path. We cannot remain living in doubt, in fear, in anger and frustration.

We need a new vision for Lebanon. We desperately need new ideas, new energy, new leaders, and a new way of thinking.

How will this website contribute to developing a new vision for Lebanon?

This is why I created this website as a platform for us to develop our common vision for Lebanon. There are many things that are outside our control, and there are different points of views on many issues. But we can focus and start with the goals we all completely share.

We can think together and act together on the best ways to create opportunity and jobs in Lebanon; how to create a stable environment to raise a family; and how to adapt to a changing Middle East and a changing world economic order.

This website will combine articles, short blog posts, videos, and infographics that suggest solutions to the various issues facing Lebanon.

What can you do about it?

This effort will be successful only if you are engaged and contribute your thoughts and ideas. I invite you to comment on these blog entries, subscribe and share this website with others, and contact me with ideas you would like to publish here.

Let us together attempt to develop a new vision for this country we all so love, and let us agree on effective ways to implement it on the ground.

Because remember that every generation helps shape its own future. And this is the essential challenge of this generation of Lebanese. Let us take on the challenge and seek a better Lebanon.