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Director's Message
Lebanon has witnessed several presidential, parliamentary and local elections
since the early 1990's, after almost 16 years of civil war and regional
conflicts that ripped the country apart. The rebirth of this democratic process
-- that culminated in the municipal elections of 1998 -- brought to Lebanese
institutions several challenges and responsibilities.
On one hand, citizen expectations of these institutions were too high, while on
the other hand, these institutions were facing several problems that paralyzed
their ability to deliver the expected outcome. Infrastructure was damaged,
major repairs needed, and even basic equipment was required to provide a
minimal amount of services. The human element of these institutions was aging
and most of the employees had not received training for several decades. The
central government was saddled with a high number of unnecessary and unskilled
employees, while local governments were crippled due to staff shortages.
The timing of the Lebanon assistance program to strengthen governmental
institutions that was developed by the Center and USAID was crucial and has
helped many central and local government institutions - Parliament, control
agencies, and municipalities throughout Lebanon - to overcome these obstacles.
The Center introduced several initiatives, and focused on re-engineering many
procedures and work processes in both national and local institutions. In 1993
when the program was first launched information technology was not yet present
in most of these institutions. Capitalizing on this deficiency, the Center
designed state-of-the art solutions using information technology as a tool to
introduce reform and enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency
within those institutions receiving assistance. The success of the project to date
is due, in part, to its ability to address major deficiencies
in the existing work processes and to deliver effective solutions. Other key
factors in the project's success include the continuous support of USAID and
the enthusiasm and support of key Lebanese political leaders throughout the
country.
Mahmoud Batlouni
Lebanon Country Director
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