Beirut: The Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at modernizing the digital infrastructure of the Ministry of Social Affairs. This agreement seeks to integrate the ministry's systems into Lebanon's national digital transformation framework, marking a significant step towards improving efficiency, transparency, and sustainability in the delivery of social services.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, the signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Social Affairs and was attended by Minister of Social Affairs Haneen El-Sayyed, Minister of State for Technology and AI Dr. Kamal Chehadeh, along with representatives from the European Union, World Food Programme, the United Kingdom, and other international partners.
Minister El-Sayyed highlighted that technological advancement is essential for achieving social justice and good governance. She described the MoU as an important reform step to modernize public administration and prioritize citizen-centric policymaking. The digital reform plan of the ministry is built on three main pillars: the creation of a Unified Social Registry for transparent support, establishing a network to connect 165 social development centers for real-time data exchange, and implementing a Core Management Information System (Core MIS) to enhance internal operations and decision-making processes.
Dr. Kamal Chehadeh emphasized the MoU as a significant move towards building a digital state. He explained that the Ministry of Technology and AI was established to foster an integrated digital ecosystem, promoting collaborative work among ministries. He also mentioned that joint teams have developed a Digital Strategy for the Ministry of Social Affairs for 2025-2027, which reviews social platforms to unify data, eliminate redundancies, and align with Lebanon's future national digital infrastructure. This infrastructure will connect to digital ID, e-payment systems, and government portals.
Both ministers extended their gratitude to the EU, WFP, and the UK for their ongoing support, asserting that this partnership is a model for national digital governance. They underscored that technology should serve development, and in turn, development should serve the people.