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Folder ID: H54724 Project ID: P005336 Dates THE WORLD BANK GROUP ARCHIVES PUBLIC DISCLOSURE AUTHORIZED Folder Title: Postwar Institutional Development in Lebanon - Assessment for Foreign Assistance - February 1992 Folder ID: H54724 Project ID: P005336 Dates: 2/1/1992 Fonds: Records of the Middle East and North Africa Regional Vice Presidency ISAD Reference Code: WB IBRD/IDA MNA Digitized: 1/11/2018 To cite materials from this archival folder, please follow the following format: [Descriptive name of item], [Folder Title], Folder ID [Folder ID], World Bank Group Archives, Washington, D.C., United States. The records in this folder were created or received by The World Bank in the course of its business. The records that were created by the staff of The World Bank are subject to the Bank’s copyright. Please refer to http://www.worldbank.org/terms-of-use-earchives for full copyright terms of use and disclaimers. THE WORLD BANK Washington, D.C. © International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / International Development Association or The World Bank 1818 H Street NW Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000 Internet: www.worldbank.org C H54t2.4- ' ' .. ------- .... IIIIIIII IIIIIIIII IIIIIIII IIII III IIIII III H54724 R1997-210 Other#.· 160 124773B Postwar Institutional Development in Lebanon - Assessment for Foreign Assistance - . February 1992 -· •' . -~ ... I • . l'I I ·BECI..ASSIFIED• ~-~l ~ Ii ~ ' ,. • - WBG Archives ~ ""j _, V,l ~ 1 ·~ -. 1 .t -, I .. ~ • ra - . \ ,. __ ., I "f .. ( ~I I 'L, - r 11 .. -r Cl') ,., I <C ,-. • j 'I{ LU . z C..:> .. ~ ••• ·, u.t 0 ,:1fM ' -> c::, Al./ • •• :iE ..... I - ..) 0:: 11 • r .. N I . ('I')• • .. ·l· . u< ~ .. .. l,,tJ- z ' . = '- .. : I . - • I -,I C 0: •. .( .• ·. r-· . .. /I ,·- ,I e ~ -... Ill, II C LU ,- 1, z ~ ........ 2 I ==a:: I.'-' r I'll! • io- (.a• }• '1 0 (,,) . ... 1- ~ LA- ' { ·' • ; r, -. Qr; z I' - ~· ~ _.. ..1 ...,... i ... f ·, c= ,-- ' . --- ,. ·- I - M\ I lo. ' . t;Jf",.. • .. !°"' I ( r 1 I ) 1 ,'I' - .' - f~ II l. • I I V " ' J -.. I ~ I f • .II .. .~ .,, • I' ·-. J I ' . -· ' I-- • . J .. '..r;>. • • ~ ' - . ' • •• -- .- I, ) ..- _, I :s... • IL ... - . ..- ! Ii ~ "'I' .. ~ ""•!lil· ~. r·: . i - 1' '~ ,. "' I' ,_ ·-. I ~...,lit"'"....) ~- ....- ~--....:~··J,l 1 ~J· af' ' I ~-- ..,. • - -.__,et.:..... - . .,= -. .. :. f /\. ' • • -.:~. Ir 1·~- . ,. ... ,- -- .... - .. 1· • ' .. ' POSTWAR INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN LEBANON: ASSESSMENT FOR FOREIGN ASSISTANCE Prepared by· · Allerica Mideast Educational and Training Services AKI:DBAST and The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies I.CPS for The Hear East Bureau of the United States Agency for International Development February 1992 l • Table of Contents I. Introduction A. Preface, 1 B. Method, 2 C. Executive Summary, 3 Il. Political and Economic Background A. The Political-Institutional System 1. History a. The Emirate: 1590-1842, 7 b. The Double Qaimmaqamiyyah System: 1845-1860, 8 c. The Mutasarrifiyyah: 1861-WWI, 9 d. The French ~date: 1920-1943, 10 e. From Independence to Civil War: 1943-1975, 11 f. The Road to Taif: 1975-1990, 13 2. Current Political-Institutional System a. The Spread of Statal Institutions, 18 b. The Structure of the State, 19 c. The Social Structure, 20 d. Power and the State, 23 3. Main Elements of Stability and Instability, 24 B. Economic Development L History, 26 2. The War Years, 27 III. Institutional Sector Survey A. Outline Strategy by Sector, 32 B. Public Administration 1. History, 40 2. Problems, 43 3. Recommendations, 45 C. Representative Institutions 1. Parliament, 4 7 2. Municipalities, 50 3. Political Parties, 51 4. PVOs and NGOs, 55 i ' I D. The Judicial System 1. Structure, 58 2. Problems and Recommendations, 60 E. The Media 1. The Print Media a. History, 62 b. Problems, 63 c. Recommendations, 65 2. The Audio-Visual Media a. History, 65 b. Problems and Recommendations, 67 F. Conclusion, 68 ID. Appendices A. List of Interviewees, 69 B. Bibliography, 71 C. Summary of Field Survey, 73 D. Glossary, 74 ii ' . I.A. Preface Over the past two years, Lebanon has moved from a condition of civil and proxy war to one of relative peace and stability. This was made possible by the negotiation of a comprehensive agreement among Lebanese Parliamentarians in the Fall of 1989 and strong Arab and international support for ending the war. Today the militias have been disbanded, there is a broad-based government in power, and the process of laying the foundations for stability and development has begun. In light of this, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) sponsored a study to reexamine developmental problems in Lebanon within its Governance and Democracy Program (GDP). The study was conducted by America Mideast Educational and Training Services (AMIDEASn in coopera­ tion with the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies (LCPS). In accordance with the GDP program's general framework, the study laid special emphasis on social and political institution-building. However, the study approaches Lebanon's current developmental needs from a broad perspective, and it was felt that the present as­ sessment would be of interest to a broad spectrum of donor countries and agen­ cies. The paper begins with background analysis of the Lebanese polity and econo­ my. It stresses both the problems and promise held out by Lebanon's _political past and underlines the steady private sector growth sustained by the economy until the war in 1975. This is followed by an outline strategy for foreign assistance leading into the four main sector assessments that are at the center of this study: Public Administration, Representative Institutions, the Judiciary, and the Media. Assis­ tance to the various sectors are prioritized in terms of urgency and importance, with the needs of the Public Administration placed at center stage. In the outline strategy it is made clear that the main objective of foreign assis­ tance to Lebanon should be to rapidly increase the capacity of the state to govern in order to enable it to keep the fragile peace that has been established and provide the security and legal framework for broad-based and sustainable socio-economic development. The report is based on interviews, field surveys, and data analysis, and on the input of key political and economic consultants. It was conducted be­ tween December 1991 and February 1992. 1 • • I.B. Method The research team was made up of Dr. Paul Salem, Director of LCPS and Assistant Professor of Political Studies at the Amencan University of Beirut; Dr. Ahmad Beydoun, Professor of Sociology at the Lebanese University; and Dr. Jo­ seph Muawad, Attorney and author of several books and articles on Lebanese law and history. Dr. P. Salem acted as team leader. Secondary consultants included Mr. Yusuf al-Khalil of the Central Bank of Lebanon; Mr. George Bitar, lecturer in public administration at the American University of Beirut; Dr. Sarni Abi Tayeh, Professor of Politics at the Lebanese University; and Mr. Naoum Farah, Member of the Board of Directors of the Leb­ anese Television Co. Mrs. Phyllis Salem._Director of AMIDEAST/Lebanon, acted as overall ad­ ministrator of the project, participated in the seminars and focus group sessions, and contributed to the writing of this repon. The main methods of research were the following: Interviews were conducted by the three main consultants with key individu­ als in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government and in busi­ ness, banking, academia, and the media (see appendix A). A Field .Survey of .a randomly chosen sample of 150 individuals was con­ ducted based on a 5-page questionnaire to assess popular attitudes and beliefs (sec appendix C). Four Seminars were held at LCPS offices in which several experts and pro­ fessionals presented papers for debate and discussion. Three Focus Group Sessions were also held at LCPS offices in which ex­ perts, professionals, and LCPS and Al\.11DEAST staff members outlined and ana­ lyzed important issue areas. Documentary Research was conducted by the consultants and LCPS staff research assistants focusing on data accumulation and analysis (see appendix B). Use was made of LCPS' own database, scholarly books ·on Lebanon, reports pre­ pared by individual government agencies, and studies prepared by the Central Bank and the Council for Development and Reconstruction. 2 . I.C. Executive Summary The goals of the study were (a) to evaluate the current and future dynamics of the political and institutional system; (b) to evaluate the prospects for broad­ based and sustainable economic development; (c) to review the conditions of de­ mocracy and representative institutions; (d) to examine the conditions of the judi­ cial branch; (e) to study the public administration and its problems; and (f) to re­ view the role and effectiveness of the media with the view of recommending specific projects that would strengthen democratic institutions and enhance eco­ nomic development. The main findings of the study were the following: Polity The Taif Agreement has provided a basis for the resumption of constitutional life in Lebanon. In 1991, the main militias were disarmed, the Army deployed over 1/3 of Lebanese territory, and new Deputies were appointed to Parliament to render Christian/Muslim representation equal. These were all steps toward in­ creased stability. However, several problems remain. (a) The government lacks strong internal cohesion; (b) the state's security and administrative organs are still dangerously weak; (c) the absence of elections for 20 years has widened the gap between rulers and ruled contributing to low levels of popular legitimacy and po­ litical control; (d) the polity is still deeply divided along confession:il lines; (e) the former militia leaders are in positions of power and could resume their previous functions if the state stumbles; and (f) foreign influence within the country is still very high. Economy The rate of GNP growth for 1991 was a healthy 15-20%, but most of this · was due to the normal resumption of economic activity after a long war and par­ ticularly after two years of continuous battles (1989-90).
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