Lebanon

This paper aims at supporting Lebanon in developing a tailored public procurement risk management strategy based on its national context and international good practices. It highlights the relevance of a risk management approach in public procurement and provides the country with practical steps to develop a public procurement risk management strategy, in accordance with the principles of the 2015 OECD Recommendation on Public Procurement.

Young people have demonstrated resilience to shocks and led positive change in their communities across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Young people (aged under 30) constitute more than half (55%) of the population across MENA, compared with 36% of the population across OECD countries. While challenges vary significantly across the region, youth unemployment rates are among the highest in the world, young people tend to express low trust in public institutions, and nearly four in ten live in fragile and conflicted-affected areas. The COVID-19 crisis has underscored the need to place the needs of young people at the centre of an inclusive and resilient recovery. To support this process, this report analyses current governance arrangements and practices across 10  MENA governments in three areas: 1) uniting all government stakeholders to implement a shared, integrated youth policy and deliver services to young people; 2) building administrative and institutional capacities to mainstream the perspectives of young people in policy making; and 3) encouraging the participation and representation of young people and youth stakeholders in public and political life.

This paper empirically tests whether individual-level informality status is linked to a weak social contract, as measured through individual perceptions of its various aspects. Accounting for workers’ heterogeneity and a possible simultaneity between informality status and attitudes towards institutions, the paper shows that informal workers are systematically more dissatisfied with the social contract, as compared to formal workers. The paper enriches the literature by looking at a broad range of aspects of the social contract. The results show that informality is associated with a lower level of confidence in labour unions, in parliament, in civil services; a lower satisfaction with the healthcare system, the way the government performs its duties, the quality of healthcare, and the city setting. The paper concludes with some policy implications.

Public communication is an essential element of government policy and crucial for transparency, integrity, accountability and stakeholder participation. This OECD Review analyses public communication in Lebanon, by reviewing the relevant governance structures and procedures across the public administration, along with the prevailing use of core competencies for this function and their application to support transparency and stakeholder participation in public life. The recommendations in this report highlight important opportunities to shift towards a more strategic approach to public communication that can better serve policy goals and help respond to citizens’ needs and expectations.

Middle East and North Africa Investment Policy Perspectives highlights the considerable progress in investment policies made by the region’s governments over the past decade. Yet, the reform momentum needs to be sustained and deepened for the benefits of investment to be shared with society at large and for growth to be sustainable, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting global economic upheaval. The publication takes stock of investment policy trends and reforms in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, and Tunisia, and draws out common challenges, offering suggestions of reform priorities. It considers several dimensions of the policy framework that affect the investment climate and places strong emphasis on how foreign investment can help economies of the region improve their citizens’ lives. The publication serves as reference point, informing policymakers on specific areas as they continue work on leveraging investment to advance inclusive and sustainable growth.

This study explores how Lebanon can strengthen the governance of the digital transformation of its public sector to better serve the needs of its citizens and businesses. Three facets of Lebanon's governance are analysed: contextual factors, institutional models and policy levers. The study identifies challenges and opportunities in each area and provides policy recommendations to help Lebanon implement its digital government policy in a coherent and sustainable way.

More and more countries have begun to introduce open government reforms as a catalyst for attaining broader policy goals such as improving democracy, fostering inclusive growth, and increasing trust. Following this trend, successive Lebanese governments have taken various steps to implement reforms based on the open government principles and aligned with the OECD Recommendation on Open Government. This Scan aims to support the government’s efforts to build more transparent, participatory, and accountable institutions that can restore citizens’ trust and promote inclusive growth. It is based on a survey, a peer review mission and in depth interviews at both the central level and in the municipalities of Jbeil (Byblos) and Schweir. The Scan analyzes priority areas of reform and provides actionable recommendations to further embed the principles and practices of open government within policy-making cycles and to evaluate their impacts.