The Ministry of Economy and Trade, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), launched a specialized digital platform under the name “The National Trade Help Desk”, with the aim of supporting and assisting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Lebanon and facilitating their integration into various markets.
The launch ceremony witnessed a high-level attendance, including the Minister of Economy and Trade, Dr. Amer Al-Bassat, the Canadian Ambassador to Lebanon and Syria, Gregory Galligan, and the representative of the United Nations Development Program, Blerta Aliko, in addition to representatives of the chambers of commerce, industry, and agriculture.
The Director General of the Ministry of Economy, Dr. Muhammad Abi Haider, gave a detailed presentation in which he explained the mechanism of the platform’s work and the various services it provides to companies and institutions.
In his speech during the ceremony, Minister Al-Bassat stressed that this initiative goes beyond being a mere “technical modernization,” but rather a “structural modernization within a broader reform path.”
Al-Bassat also pointed out the great importance of small and medium enterprises, which represent between 90 and 95% of private companies and absorb about half of the country’s workforce, stressing their vital role in creating job opportunities, maintaining market dynamism, and promoting innovation despite the current challenges.
The Minister explained that many of these institutions face great difficulties, not only in obtaining financing, but also in procedural and administrative complexities, and this is what the “National Business Assistance Office” seeks to overcome by providing the support and information necessary to facilitate business operations and sustainable growth.
