Arabic original title: رسالة مفتوحة إلى الرئيس عون والرئيس سلام
Original publication: Nidaa Al Watan
Publication date: January 15, 2025
Original Arabic article: https://www.nidaalwatan.com/article/301728-رسالة-مفتوحة-إلى-الرئيس-عون-والرئيس-سلام
This open letter presents a reform vision addressed to President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at the beginning of a critical political phase in Lebanon. It links administrative reform, digital transformation, strategic planning, public-sector renewal, youth employment, water and energy management, competency-based training, and institutional accountability into one national recovery agenda.
English translation / adapted English version:
Open Letter to President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam: A Vision for Lebanon’s Future
Strategic Expert in Administrative Reform Joseph Deeb wrote in Nidaa Al-Watan:
His Excellency President General Joseph Aoun, President of the Lebanese Republic, and His Excellency Prime Minister-Designate Judge Nawaf Salam,
Greetings of appreciation and respect,
At the outset, I congratulate you, Mr. President, on your election as President of the Lebanese Republic, and I also congratulate you, Mr. Prime Minister-designate, on being entrusted with forming the government. Your assumption of these responsibilities at this critical juncture reflects the Lebanese people’s hopes for wise leadership that will rescue the country from its accumulated crises and place it on the path toward recovery and stability.
Lebanon has endured difficult years, during which the Lebanese people were the victims of successive political and economic failures that led to the collapse of state institutions and the deterioration of citizens’ living conditions. Today, we hope that you will be leaders who carry the banner of genuine reform and place the national interest above every other consideration.
Your oath-of-office address, Mr. President, and your designation address, Mr. Prime Minister-designate, constituted a comprehensive roadmap for the reformist vision Lebanon needs at this historic moment. You addressed fundamental issues such as strengthening transparency, reforming the judicial system, and restructuring public administration, all of which are essential pillars of any comprehensive reform process.
Within the framework of your reformist vision, which has laid ambitious foundations for change, I find myself facing a responsibility that is not imposed by a decision or an official position. Rather, it arises from my sense of national duty toward the suffering of the Lebanese people, from my deep belief in the importance of developing human capacities, which constitute the nation’s true wealth, and from my belief in the importance of building the state and its institutions on modern and equitable foundations. The sight of Lebanese citizens waiting impatiently for leadership capable of rescuing them from their crises reminds me of the pledge I made to myself and to every citizen who believes in Lebanon: to work tirelessly to restore Lebanon to its rightful place among the advanced nations, as the permanent homeland of all its people.
First: Activating the Role of the Ministry of Administrative Development and Strengthening Digital Transformation as a Pillar of Administrative Reform and National Development
From this standpoint, I put forward a set of initiatives aimed at reforming public institutions, developing human capacities, and restoring the people’s rights and their looted funds. These initiatives are not merely ideas. They reflect the aspirations and hopes of a people who deserve a dignified life and a bright future.
Through my experience as an observer and witness to the work of successive governments over the past decades, I have noticed that every new minister who assumes responsibility for the Ministry of Administrative Development begins by commissioning studies on a digital-transformation project, often financed by international organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme or the Arab Fund. Nevertheless, these studies repeatedly end without practical implementation because of changes in ministers or the absence of a sustainable implementation plan.
In addition, certain practices may obstruct transparency and restrict competition, particularly the absence of clear regulations governing contracts with private companies that provide technological solutions. This reality requires stronger governance and the development of more transparent and rigorous standards to ensure that the intended objectives are achieved.
As you both emphasized, Mr. President and Mr. Prime Minister-designate, addressing a bloated administration that has been eaten away by corruption requires comprehensive digital reform that strengthens transparency.
To overcome these challenges, I propose:
- Establishing an independent supervisory council for digital transformation, responsible for overseeing the implementation of digital projects and ensuring transparency in contracting.
- Developing the competencies of government employees to replace excessive dependence on external consultants, thereby ensuring the sustainability of digital initiatives.
- Strengthening international oversight. Donor organizations should be partners in monitoring implementation to ensure that the support provided is used effectively.
- Issuing the necessary decrees granting the ministry broader executive powers, enabling it to modernize administrative structures in coordination with all ministries and public administrations.
Second: Preparing Strategic Plans and Establishing a National Authority or Ministry for Strategic Planning
The pioneering role played by the late Minister Maurice Gemayel during the presidencies of Fouad Chehab and Charles Helou constituted a historic turning point in the Lebanese state’s approach to development planning. That approach, characterized by innovation and commitment to a comprehensive vision of development, was a source of strength for the state and must be revived today. Ministries and public administrations should not limit themselves to submitting annual budgets. They should prepare five- or ten-year plans through which their work can be monitored.
In confirmation of the importance of implementing the administrative decentralization to which you referred, establishing a strategic-planning authority would help ensure balanced development among the different regions.
To achieve this objective, I propose:
- Establishing strategic-planning units within every ministry, operating as a “miniature planning ministry” and ensuring that administrative work remains aligned with long-term development objectives.
- Developing a system for the periodic review of these plans, with amendments introduced whenever necessary to ensure the achievement of sustainable development.
- Granting the national authority or ministry complete independence to guarantee neutrality and transparency, while entrusting it with the responsibility of issuing regular and transparent reports on the progress of implementation.
Third: Managing Vital Resources – Water and Energy as Drivers of Sustainable Development
In light of the successive crises facing Lebanon, there is an urgent need for a reformist vision that moves beyond conventional solutions and adopts innovative and courageous approaches to the management of vital resources. Water and energy lie at the heart of every national-renewal project, not only because of their economic and social importance, but because they provide the foundation for sustainable development and national stability. The challenges confronting us in these two sectors require us to think beyond conventional frameworks and to develop fundamental strategies capable of restoring hope in a prosperous future.
To achieve this objective, I propose:
- Developing innovative and comprehensive strategies for managing vital resources:
- Rather than relying on fragmented solutions, the focus should be placed on designing modern and sustainable networks that employ advanced technology to reduce waste and maximize efficiency.
- Big Data and artificial intelligence should be used to analyze consumption patterns and direct resources effectively.
- Establishing specialized think tanks and strategic advisory centers for water and energy:
- These centers should bring together academics and local and international experts to provide solutions specifically designed to address Lebanon’s challenges.
- They could draw inspiration from successful international experiences such as the European Water Partnership in Belgium for water-resource management and the Center for Strategic and International Studies in the United States for energy-security studies.
- These centers should not limit themselves to providing advice. They should develop an implementation roadmap supported by feasibility studies and forward-looking perspectives.
- Launching national initiatives to attract Lebanese expertise from within Lebanon and abroad:
- In the water sector, this should include infrastructure-development projects such as smart irrigation networks and the rehabilitation of dams.
- In the energy sector, it should include initiatives supporting renewable-energy projects such as solar panels and wind farms.
- This step would ensure the sustainability of these sectors and strengthen Lebanon’s capacity to invest in its human resources.
- Strengthening strategic partnerships with local and international communities:
- Municipalities and local communities should be involved in planning and implementation, thereby strengthening their sense of ownership over the projects.
- Innovative financing should be sought from international donor organizations, accompanied by guarantees that projects will be implemented with a high level of transparency and will produce effective results.
Fourth: Integrating Lebanese Youth of All Backgrounds into the State Through Public-Sector Employment
In your oath-of-office address, Mr. President, you affirmed that achieving social justice requires the participation of all Lebanese citizens in building the state: “The state cannot be built without the participation of all its citizens, without exception.”
You, Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam, also emphasized in your address the need to move beyond the system of political and sectarian quotas that has eaten away at our institutions. In my opinion, this requires a comprehensive plan that restores balance through the fair representation of every region, from Arsal on the northern border to Rmeish on the southern border, passing through Amioun in Koura and Jahiliyeh in the mountains. This inclusive vision reflects the aspirations of the Lebanese people to build a strong state governed by social justice.
To achieve this objective, I propose:
- Launching national programs dedicated to recruiting young people into the public sector, with priority initially given to third- and fourth-category positions as a first step toward advancement to senior positions. This would contribute to achieving the required balance among all regions.
- Reformulating educational curricula to highlight the importance of public-sector employment as an instrument for achieving social justice and consolidating the country’s stability.
- Strengthening transparency and fairness in recruitment by promoting a new culture among young people based on the principle that “public service is not merely a source of income, but a national responsibility deserving of respect.”
Fifth: Adopting a Competency-Based Training Culture to Meet the Needs of the Productive and Oil Sectors
The Lebanese people have long awaited what could become the anticipated “oil revolution,” which may represent a lifeline for a country drowning in crises. This sector, long awaited by the Lebanese people, is regarded as a possible path toward prosperity and financial well-being, and perhaps as an opportunity to generate a surplus for the public treasury. However, this ambition cannot be realized without building a base of competent professionals capable of exploiting these resources effectively and sustainably. Training must therefore be transformed from a conventional activity into a strategic component of preparation for this long-awaited phase.
To achieve this objective, I propose:
- Adopting a competency-based training culture: developing training programs based on a precise analysis of sectoral needs, with the objective of improving job performance and raising the efficiency of human resources.
- Establishing technical training programs directed toward priority sectors such as oil and gas, in cooperation with international institutions and global companies, to transfer expertise and knowledge.
- Strengthening the role of vocational education in preparing national cadres by linking vocational curricula to the needs of the local market, focusing on emerging sectors, and providing practical training pathways.
Sixth: Reviving the Concept and Role of Trade Unions in Supporting Young People and Entrepreneurs
Trade unions in Lebanon have long represented the defense of workers’ rights and served as a powerful voice for social justice. However, they have lost their fundamental role because of political interference and divisions that have weakened public confidence in them. Reviving trade unions is a national imperative that requires rebuilding these institutions so that they become a force supporting young people and entrepreneurs, removed from political agendas.
Should we succeed in freeing trade unions from political constraints and building strategic partnerships with the productive sectors, we would be able to create an environment that encourages innovation and economic development, thereby restoring these institutions to their genuine role in building a prosperous Lebanon.
To achieve this objective, I propose:
- Reviving the concept of trade-union work by educating workers and union members that unions were established to represent them and defend their rights, rather than to serve as instruments in the hands of politicians.
- Harnessing the role of trade unions to build partnerships with productive sectors, thereby enabling young people to participate in innovative and economically viable projects.
- Empowering trade unions to provide a supportive environment for entrepreneurial ideas, strengthen the national economy, and create sustainable employment opportunities.
Seventh: Appointing Directors-General, Adopting the Principle of Rotation, and Increasing Salaries to Ensure Efficiency and Transparency
Lebanon’s public administration requires fundamental reform that restores its standing and guarantees its efficiency. Public administration has long constituted the backbone of the state. However, the prolonged failure to appoint administrative leaders, together with the accumulation of political and sectarian quotas and financial corruption, has weakened its role in serving citizens.
Renewing leadership, adopting the principle of rotation, and guaranteeing fair salaries are not merely administrative measures. They are unavoidable steps toward restoring citizens’ confidence in the state and ensuring employee productivity.
As you indicated in your oath-of-office address, Mr. President, rotation is necessary to achieve transparency and effectiveness and forms part of a comprehensive vision for building a modern and sustainable state.
To achieve this objective, I propose:
- Appointing new directors-general and boards of directors by selecting leaders on the basis of competence and experience and granting them fair salaries commensurate with their responsibilities, thereby reducing the risk of corruption and encouraging stronger performance.
- Adopting the principle of rotation by implementing a policy of periodic transfers of directors-general among ministries and public institutions, thereby renewing ideas, stimulating innovation, and preventing the concentration of administrative authority.
- Increasing the salaries of directors-general by setting remuneration that reflects the scale of the responsibilities assigned to them, thereby creating a competitive working environment and reducing corruption arising from inadequate wages.
Eighth: Unifying Internal Regulations, Resolving Employment Statuses, and Strengthening the Culture of Accountability
Lebanon’s public administration is experiencing a multifaceted crisis reflected in major disparities in rights and obligations, in addition to laxity in the application of laws, which has led to the absence of justice and the proliferation of favoritism.
This crisis requires fundamental solutions that restore the standing of public administration and make it a model of integrity and transparency. Unifying internal regulations, resolving employees’ employment statuses, and strengthening a culture of accountability are essential steps toward achieving a fair and effective administration.
To achieve this objective, I propose:
- Unifying internal regulations and employee systems throughout all state institutions to guarantee equality in rights and obligations and eliminate disparities in material and nonmaterial benefits.
- Amending rigid investment or financial regulations to bring them into line with the current realities of institutions, thereby preventing violations and attempts to circumvent the law.
- Resolving employment statuses in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations. Such a settlement must be implemented only once for every person working for the Lebanese state, whether an employee whose status is regularized through an objective and fair promotion mechanism or through a competitive examination where necessary, a contractor or wage earner granted permanent status, or a daily worker appointed through a competitive examination.
This settlement must guarantee transparency and the unification of the employment system. The state’s financial budgets must also be taken into consideration when it is implemented.
- Adopting a culture of accountability and sanctions for those who fail to perform their duties, by activating the role of disciplinary councils and supervisory bodies, free from any political interference.
Mr. President and Mr. Prime Minister-designate, the challenges confronting Lebanon today require courageous decisions and an exceptional vision consistent with the principles set out in your oath-of-office and designation addresses. I believe that your speeches and your initial steps have laid ambitious foundations for a new phase.
I write to you today not merely to share ideas, but to affirm my commitment to supporting your vision and contributing to national efforts with all the knowledge and experience I possess. Lebanon deserves that all of us work tirelessly and without fatigue for a future worthy of its great people and its distinguished history.
Publication reference:
This article appears within the wider Publications section, under Lebanon, Economy & Public Sector Reform, where Lebanon’s administrative reform, public-sector modernization, digital transformation, strategic planning, youth employment, and institutional recovery are examined through governance and economic reform.
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