Beirut Launches National Plan to Strengthen Cyber Resilience and Data Protection

Minister of Displaced Affairs and Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence, Kamal Shihadeh, represented President of the Republic General Joseph Aoun at the Sixth Regional Conference on Cybersecurity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, held in Beirut. The event was attended by MP Fadi Alamaa, representing Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri; Minister Fadi Makki, representing Prime Minister Nawaf Salam; along with representatives from the Arab League and experts in technology and cybersecurity.

In his speech delivered on behalf of the President, Shihadeh affirmed that "artificial intelligence is reshaping the landscape of cybersecurity, offering opportunities to strengthen institutional protection and preempt threats, but conversely providing malicious actors with more sophisticated tools to execute complex and rapid attacks."

He emphasized "the necessity of securing AI systems themselves, enhancing human oversight and accountability, and preparing for challenges posed by quantum computing, particularly regarding the protection of digital communications, financial transactions, and sensitive government information."

Shihadeh also noted that "cybersecurity has become a fundamental pillar of national security and digital sovereignty, given the impact of any serious breach on vital services, institutional continuity, and citizens' trust in the state," stressing "the importance of cooperation between the public sector, private sector, universities, and international partners."

In this context, Shihadeh pointed out that "Lebanon possesses specialized human resources in technology and cybersecurity," noting that "work is underway to finalize a draft cybersecurity law, which would establish the competent authority and grant it the necessary powers to lead this file at the national level."

He outlined five priorities to enhance cyber readiness, including "adopting secure digital transformation by design, strengthening national cyber resilience, developing specialized competencies, consolidating governance and accountability, and expanding regional cooperation and exchange of information and expertise."

He concluded by affirming that "the challenge lies not in choosing between innovation and security, but in making security, responsibility, and trust essential conditions for the continuation and prosperity of innovation."