The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs (IFI) at the American University of Beirut (AUB) recently released a report titled Towards a Productive “New” Lebanon. This report, authored by Lebanon’s Minister of Economy and Trade, Dr. Amer Bisat, and AUB’s own Professor of Economics, Dr. Ishac Diwan, and based on discussions and panels with entrepreneurs, sectoral experts, and policymakers, was originally drafted in 2021 at the request of Judge Nawaf Salam. At the time, Judge Salam posed a critical question: with the collapse of Lebanon’s old economic model, how could one envision a “new” and productive Lebanon?
Fast forward four years, and Salam is now steering the ship as Lebanon’s Prime Minister, creating a sense of optimism in the political scene. This shift raises an essential question: what will this “new Lebanon” look like? More importantly, does Lebanon have what it takes to achieve this vision? According to the report, the answer is a confident yes.
The report is divided into four parts: Part 1 presents a future vision based on discussions with entrepreneurs, Part 2 highlights the constraints that need to be addressed, Part 3 details actions to ignite and sustain growth, and Part 4 emphasizes the importance of political change for the emergence of a new Lebanon.
For the full report, click on the below link: