Shahadeh: No Fear for Ministerial Solidarity Despite Disagreement on Explosives File Timing

Minister of Displaced Persons and Minister of State for Information Technology Affairs Kamal Shahadeh affirmed that "there is no fear regarding ministerial solidarity or the fate of the government," considering that "the disagreement concerning the explosives seized by regular security forces does not relate to the objective or the mechanism for achieving it, but rather to the timing of referring the case to the Justice Council, in the absence of fundamental differences."

In an interview with Sputnik Radio, he stressed "the necessity for the law to be the judge, and for investigations to yield the desired results free from any interference, while ensuring accountability for those responsible."

Regarding the establishment of a Ministry of Technology and Artificial Intelligence, he noted that "today's achievement lies in the sub-parliamentary committee, derived from joint committees comprising representatives from various parliamentary blocs, reaching a legal formula that meets Lebanese aspirations for establishing a ministry for technology and artificial intelligence, thereby enabling a flexible mechanism to address economic and technological challenges."

He clarified that "the actual achievement is realized when the project moves to the plenary session of the Parliament for approval, paving the way for the creation of a fully empowered ministry with comprehensive structures, tasked with fulfilling its required duties and meeting the needs of the Lebanese economy and youth."

He reviewed the main concerns accompanying the discussion of the bill, pointing out that "the first concern was the potential overlap between the new ministry's powers and those of other ministries, which has been dispelled. The second concern was the possibility of not granting the ministry sufficient powers to perform its tasks, and emphasis was placed on clearly and adequately defining the ministry's responsibilities."

He added: "The third concern relates to respecting the fundamental challenges posed by the digital economy, particularly protecting citizens' privacy and data, ensuring the security of digital platforms, and enhancing cybersecurity."

Shahadeh emphasized that "building the digital economy relies on approving the personal data protection bill and the cybersecurity bill," considering that "the greatest challenge lies in finding the appropriate governance system and building the necessary capabilities to manage this sector, ensuring quality performance, protecting citizens' privacy, and strengthening cybersecurity."