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Lebanon: A Constitutional Settlement?

Whilst many observers felt that Lebanon’s economic and politic crisis was heading to a boiling point, few would have surely predicted that it would have been so massively exposed by a blast one tenth the size of the Hiroshima bomb, that has damaged half the city, killed almost two hundred people and wounded thousands.
Suddenly Lebanon is back on the front pages but this time it was an assassination or a regional act of war but seemingly bureaucratic incompetence and corruption that has led to such seismic loss. Unsurprisingly within a week the Government had resigned after protests again took to Beirut’s streets, but this time were able to even take over Ministries.
Yet a Lebanese Government resigning is not a rare incident and as the departing Prime Minister Diab bemoaned; corruption in Lebanon was "bigger than the state" itself, and "a very thick and thorny wall separates us from change; a wall fortified by a class that is resorting to all dirty methods in order to resist and preserve its gains."
If Lebanon is not a failed state it is certainly a hybrid state where sub-national and supra-national powers have a greater sovereignty in the real sense than the government itself. The end of the country’s long and devastating civil war was recognised as a balance of forces and compromises both inside and outside the country. The National Pact gave an official constitution and unofficial and unwritten set of instructions that saw the State as a pie to be divided up by the patronage of the country’s different sects.
The dysfunction of this way of governing a country was disguised somewhat by the importance of Lebanon as a playground for regional interests. Large sums of money from Iran and the Gulf poured into various political parties and organisations. The Lebanese diaspora, meanwhile, with a population larger than that of the country itself was another critical economic lifeline to sustain the unsustainable.
Whilst COVID has slowed remittances and the Syrian war and sanctions has squeezed Lebanon’s economy, the realignment of regional power has seen a rise of Iranian influence and declining Gulf influence. Back in 2016 Saudi Arabia urged all its citizens to leave Lebanon and halted aid to the country due to "hostile Lebanese positions resulting from the stranglehold of Hezbollah on the state".
A state of perhaps constructive tension has been replaced by endemic instability all exposed by the blast at the Port of Beirut that left the world asking what next? Over in Syria despite the conflict about to mark a decade of carnage, a new round of United Nation’s constitutional committee talks are scheduled for August 24 in Geneva. Senior UN officials believe that it is in updating the DNA of the country, through its constitution, that a path for a peaceful future may be forged.
It begs the question if one Lebanese Government falls to be replaced by another that has the same underpinning issues, what will have changed? Very little I’d imagine but then the question is do the vested powers and traditional elites in Lebanon accept the need for radical over cosmetic change? Will they, for example, seriously engage in discussions to review and renew the country’s constitution, is there appetite and resilience in the country for a serious look at de-confessionalising the country’s politics to turn the Ministries of the Government from prize assets to be win to drivers of essential change that the country needs to be a better place for its citizens. Or, as some argue, is sectarianism is the only system for Lebanon but can it be done in a better way?
Fundamentally what any discussion around these incredibly contentious and potentially dangerous topics needs, are that the actors who currently hold power be willing to cede some or all of what they have for a larger vision of what the country can become. Some external observers may be amazed that the alternative is possible, that vested interests can oversee half of the nation’s capital city getting blown up and still remain in power.
Yet to the east of Lebanon President Assad remains the figurehead of a country that has seen half its population displaced. Put simply, brutal incompetency is not enough to guarantee a change in the political DNA of a country. Vision and visionaries are what Lebanon needs now, both those without power and perhaps more importantly amongst those currently with it.
by : jamse danselow
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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