Lebanon signs $150 million agreement with the World Bank to finance digital transformation project
Beirut, August 10 (KUNA) -- Lebanon signed today, Monday, a $150 million agreement with the World Bank to finance a digital transformation project in Lebanese government administrations and departments. The signing took place during the visit of Dalia Khalifa, the new Regional Vice President for the Middle East at the World Bank, to Beirut, marking her first visit to Lebanon. She was accompanied by Minister of Finance Yassin Jaber, Minister of Administrative Development Fadi Makki, Minister of Information Technology Kamal Sha’adeh, and the World Bank’s Country Manager for Lebanon.
In a statement, Minister Jaber emphasized that the agreement constitutes a “key pillar” for modernizing the public sector and enhancing the efficiency of public services, and falls within the framework of ongoing cooperation with the Bank. He noted that discussions with the Bank covered economic reform files, particularly in the electricity, water, and waste sectors, as well as banking sector reform, stressing the importance of enacting the banking law in the Parliament to restore the confidence of investors and the international community. He argued that maintaining the status quo in the banking sector would hinder comprehensive reform efforts, pointing out that “Lebanon has become, as a result of years of stagnation, a quintessential monetary economy.”
He clarified that the $150 million digital transformation project aims to strengthen the state’s digital infrastructure and capabilities by establishing a secure data hosting infrastructure and enhancing cybersecurity. The World Bank-funded project seeks to create data-sharing platforms, develop digital identity and electronic signature systems, and digitize priority public services through a unified digital government portal in Lebanon.
For her part, Khalifa affirmed the Bank’s commitment to continuing its support for Lebanon to enhance its human and institutional capacities and to follow up on the reform process and joint projects. She expressed optimism “about the clear vision and serious consensus on reform priorities and the advancement of the public sector” that she observed during her visit.
During her Beirut visit, Khalifa met with President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri. (End) F.Z. / T.A.B.
