November 8, 2026
The Minister of Communications, Charles Al-Hajj, affirmed Lebanon’s pride in its support of the “Doha Ministerial Declaration: Leading the digital transformation towards a more comprehensive and sustainable future,” praising the State of Qatar’s steadfast positions alongside Lebanon in good and bad times, and stressing that Beirut does not forget this historic support.
This came in a speech delivered by Minister Al-Hajj during his participation in the second edition of the Mobile World Congress, which is being held in the Qatari capital, Doha, under the slogan “The Age of Intelligence.” He explained that Lebanon is participating in this forum in the spirit of the learner and the beneficiary, praising what the Arab Gulf countries have achieved thanks to the insightful vision and successful investments.
Al-Hajj pointed out that the harsh experience that Lebanon went through in maintaining the continuity of the communications sector during wars and crises gave it valuable lessons in building sustainable networks that are able to withstand, have low operational costs, and have comprehensive coverage for all.
In the practical context, the Minister of Communications reviewed the steps that his ministry is implementing to enhance resilience and continuity, which include introducing solar energy to network sites, adopting a policy of sharing infrastructure between operators to avoid duplication of costs, as well as allowing national roaming between cell phone companies. He stressed that the concept of inclusiveness translates into practice by not marginalizing remote villages, revealing ongoing efforts to expand the fiber-optic network throughout the country and open the communications sector to private investments.
At the regional level, Al-Hajj stressed that comprehensiveness also means strengthening interconnectedness between the countries of the region, calling for building on the huge Arab investments in digital infrastructure, linking existing networks and developing more diverse paths through land networks and submarine cables. He expressed Lebanon’s full readiness to cooperate with Arab countries and employ its capabilities in the field of international connectivity, stressing that the goal is to complete the existing corridors and invest in the strengths of each country, with an expected pivotal role for the International Telecommunication Union in transforming this cooperation into tangible projects.
The Minister pointed out that it is impossible to achieve any digital transformation without providing reliable energy, praising the partnership in the energy sector that the State of Qatar announced with Lebanon last month. He added that the most important thing Lebanon offers to the region is its human resources, including engineers, entrepreneurs, and expatriates ready to invest in their homeland.
In conclusion, the Minister of Communications stressed that Lebanon participates fully and effectively in this partnership, stressing that its recovery path will depend on the knowledge economy and in close cooperation with our Arab brothers, leading to a more interconnected, comprehensive and sustainable future.
