Lebanese Minister Fadi Maki Engages in Rome Forum PA to Boost Administrative Reform and Digital Cooperation

Invited by the Italian government, Dr. Fadi Maki, Lebanon's Minister of State for Administrative Development, participated in the Forum PA conference held in Rome. The event was attended by Lebanon’s ambassador to Italy, Carla Jazar, and formed part of a working tour that included multiple meetings and engagements with various Italian and international officials and organizations.

This participation aligns with a cooperation project involving the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The initiative aims to enhance experience exchange and dialogue among peers to support the modernization of Lebanon’s public administration.

During the conference, Minister Maki delivered a keynote speech addressing key transformations shaping the future of public administration. He emphasized the importance of transitioning towards more flexible and proactive governments, centering services around citizens, and adopting innovation and digitization as fundamental pillars of reform. He noted that these directions are part of the “Rebuilding State Administrations and Institutions 2030” program led by his ministry, which seeks to establish a more efficient, effective, and citizen-focused public administration.

On the sidelines of the conference, Minister Maki held a series of meetings, including one with Italy’s Minister of Public Administration, Paolo Zangrillo, at Palazzo Vidoni. Discussions focused on Italy’s public administration modernization path, particularly in training, digital transformation, employment, procedural simplification, and exchanging expertise regarding Lebanon’s administrative reform program.

Minister Maki also met with Giuseppe Buia, head of Italy’s National Anti-Corruption Authority (ANAC), to explore cooperation opportunities in enhancing integrity, combating corruption, and prevention measures. They reviewed Lebanon’s forthcoming National Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2026–2030 and exchanged experiences related to training and capacity building.

Additionally, Minister Maki convened with Alberto Barachini, Deputy Head of the Italian Prime Minister’s Office for Media and Publishing, to examine Italy’s governance experience in the media sector and discuss collaboration prospects in training and knowledge exchange.

The minister met with Paola Severino, president of Italy’s National School of Administration (SNA), to discuss strengthening cooperation in public administration and capacity building. Topics included training, promoting a culture of integrity, administrative innovation, skill development, and shared challenges such as attracting talent, digital transformation, enhancing citizen trust, and investing in training as a strategic lever for change.

In efforts to reinforce international partnerships on open governance, Minister Maki held talks with Alessandro Pelantoni, chair of the steering committee of the Open Government Partnership. They discussed the possibility of Lebanon joining this international initiative and enhancing cooperation in transparency, accountability, and open governance to support institutional reform efforts alongside international partners, including the OECD.

Minister Maki also participated in an extensive meeting at Palazzo Vidoni with representatives of the Italian Open Government Forum, attended by Lebanon’s ambassador to Italy and the Italian Ministry of Public Administration team. The forum comprises a network of 11 government entities and 11 civil society organizations, representing an advanced model of public sector and civil society partnership.

Key forum participants included Professor Valentina Donini from the National School of Administration, Federico Anghiele from The Good Lobby Italy, Paola Caporossi from Fondazione Etica, and Stefano Rollo from Rome Municipality. Discussions centered on the pivotal role of civil society organizations in promoting good governance, their essential involvement in shaping public policies and service development, and ways to integrate this participatory approach within Lebanon’s “Rebuilding State Administrations and Institutions 2030” program.

In a related context, Minister Maki visited the Rome Municipality and toured several local, regional, and national pavilions participating in the conference. He also visited leading companies specializing in digitization and artificial intelligence to observe the latest innovations and explore opportunities for cooperation and knowledge transfer.

The Lebanese Embassy in Rome, under the patronage of Ambassador Carla Jazar, hosted a reception in honor of Minister Maki. The event brought together members of the Lebanese community in Italy, providing an occasion to connect with the diaspora and affirm its role in supporting Lebanon’s development and reform process, as well as strengthening ties between the homeland and its citizens abroad.

Concluding his visit, Minister Maki affirmed that Lebanon’s participation in this forum represents a significant milestone in advancing public administration development. He expressed Lebanon’s eagerness to benefit from Italy’s experience and adopt best practices to support reform efforts, while praising the depth of bilateral relations and Italy’s support for Lebanon.