On Tuesday 2th of October 2018 a workshop took place at the conference room at the ministry of Economy and Trade in Beirut under the title “Enhancing the Work of the Small and Medium Enterprises in Lebanon”.
The general aim of the workshop was to present and discuss a new law for SMEs that enhance the work of SMEs in Lebanon.
The workshop was organized by the Lebanese Foundation for Permanent Civil peace, and in collaboration with the ministry of Economy and Trade.
The workshop included five sessions; the first session was the opening session where a number of speakers had opening words who are; Dr. Antoine Massara - President of the Lebanese Foundation for Permanent Civil Peace, MP Yassin Jaber - Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on follow up of the implementation of Laws, Dr. Fares el Zein, Baladi CAP- Chief of Party, H.E Mrs. Alia Abbas, General Director of the Economy and Trade, H.E. Raed Khoury, Minister of the Economy and Trade. This opening session was facilitated by Lawyer Rabih KAYS.
The second session was about: Current situation of the SMEs in Lebanon. Where a number of speakers have contributed to this session who are: Mr. Nabil Itani – Head of IDAL, Mr. Nassib Ghobriel – Senior Economist at Bank Byblos, Mr. Wadih Kanaan – Socio Economic Council. This session was presided by MP Neemat Frem.
The third session was about: how to improve the role of SMEs in order to enhance the national economy in Lebanon, where a number of speakers have contributed to this session who are: Mr. Razi el Hage – Economist at the Ministry of Economy, Mrs. Zeina Khoury – Economist at the world bank, Mr. Toufic Dabbousi – Chair of the Economic Chamber at the north. This session was presided by MP Dima Jamali.
The fourth session was about: follow up steps with the Ministry of Economy in order to finalize the law proposal on SMEs, where a number of speakers have contributed to this session who are: Judge Mayssam Noueiri – General Director of the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Marlyn Nehme - Economist at the Ministry of Economy, Mr. Simon Mouawad – General Director at the Lebanese Parliament. This session was presided by MP George Okais.
The Fifth and last session was allocated for synthesis and recommendation where Dr. Antoine Messara, President of the Lebanese Foundation for Permanent Civil Peace and Mrs. Alia Abbass, General Director of the Ministry of Economy and Trade had concluded some guidelines as a synthesis to this last session.