Gemayel: Decentralization Is a Key Entry Point for Building a More Effective State

The Lebanese Kataeb Party, in cooperation with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation - Lebanon Office, in coordination with the party's Foreign Relations Department and Municipalities Bureau, organized a workshop titled "Municipal Commons: Protecting Rights and Exploring Investment Opportunities" at the Central Kataeb House in Sin el Fil. The event was attended by several experts in municipal, legal, and environmental affairs, as well as representatives from numerous municipalities across different Lebanese regions. The aim was to highlight the political, legal, and historical dimensions of municipal commons, and to explore ways to protect, develop, and invest them in a manner that contributes to enhancing local development and providing additional resources for municipalities.

The workshop began with the Lebanese national anthem, followed by a welcome speech by the head of the Lebanese Kataeb Party, MP Samy Gemayel. He stressed "the importance of municipal commons as part of the ownership, historical memory, and identity of village residents, especially in Mount Lebanon. These are not vacant lands or properties that can be tampered with; rather, they belong to the villagers and are part of their history and identity." He considered that "preserving them and protecting the rights of their owners constitutes a fundamental responsibility towards local communities and their future."

He pointed out that "municipal commons offer wide opportunities to launch projects in energy, waste management, tourism, environment, and culture, which contribute to stimulating the local economy, creating job opportunities, and enhancing the ability of municipalities to implement developmental projects and improve the quality of life for citizens."

Gemayel addressed "the legal steps taken to prevent changes in the ownership and identity of municipal commons," clarifying that, "in cooperation with MP Elias Hankach and the Roumieh Municipality, a lawsuit was filed before the Council of State objecting to a decision changing the ownership of municipal commons to become state property." He noted that "the lawsuit led to the precautionary suspension of the decision's implementation," expressing hope that "the final decision will annul the ministerial decree, ensuring the protection of these lands and the rights of their inhabitants."

In the same context, he affirmed that "decentralization constitutes a key entry point for building a more effective state capable of meeting citizens' needs," considering that "strengthening municipalities, protecting and developing municipal commons represent essential steps towards enhancing the role of local authorities and expanding their capacity to manage regional affairs and achieve sustainable development."

The workshop program included a series of specialized interventions addressing the legal and practical aspects of investing municipal commons. Judge Elie Maalouf reviewed the legal approach to shared commons, while Elie Bou Nakoul presented the successful experience of Kawkaba Municipality, offering a practical model on how to leverage local potential to serve municipal development.

The workshop concluded with a discussion session and Q&A, allowing participants to exchange views and experiences regarding the legal and practical challenges facing the management of municipal commons, and the opportunities available for their development through effective partnerships between municipalities and the private sector.

This initiative comes within the framework of raising awareness about the importance of municipal commons as a national and local wealth, working to protect them on one hand, and developing sustainable investment models for them on the other, thereby enhancing the financial independence of municipalities, supporting balanced development, and contributing to anchoring residents in their villages and improving the future of their communities.