UAE: His Excellency Dr. Nawaf Salam, Prime Minister of the Lebanese Republic, affirmed that “the primary objective of the government is to restore the confidence of the Lebanese people first, followed by the confidence of our Arab nations and the international community, and to create a safe and attractive environment for investment.”

His Excellency called on GCC countries to support Lebanon’s reform journey and stressed that Lebanon will not be dragged into “a new regional adventure,” and that decisions of war and peace are now exclusively in the hands of the Lebanese state.

Speaking during a keynote session at the World Governments Summit 2026, which commenced today and will continue for three days under the theme “Shaping Future Governments,” His Excellency explained that the government’s plan for economic recovery and restoring confidence is based on two fundamental pillars that cannot be separated: sovereignty and reform.

During the session, moderated by the journalist Imad El-Din Adeeb, H.E Dr. Nawaf Salam explained that sovereignty means restoring the state’s authority over decisions of war and peace, extending its control over the entirety of Lebanese territory, and confining weapons to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

He noted that reform goes beyond the financial dimension, to include reforming public administration and strengthening judicial independence, as both are essential conditions for building confidence with investors and the international community.

The reform path

With regard to attracting investment, the Prime Minister stressed that the state’s commitment to the reform path constitutes the primary guarantee for any investor, noting that the government has begun taking concrete steps, including the establishment of regulatory authorities for vital sectors and the improvement of the security situation, which is a decisive factor in investment decisions.

H.E further pointed out that Lebanon, despite being directly affected by regional developments, is working to fortify its internal situation and rally around the state, thereby limiting the impact of external crises on the domestic front.

H.E Dr. Nawaf Salam acknowledged that corruption was one of the main reasons for the loss of confidence in the Lebanese state in recent years, affirming that the handling of this issue is undergoing a fundamental transformation.

The Prime Minister concluded by urging GCC countries to support the Lebanese Armed Forces, as the primary guarantor of sovereignty and stability, accompanied by a clear invitation to participate in the conference to support the Lebanese Army in Paris. He also invited Gulf investors to view Lebanon “with fresh eyes” and to visit the country to see firsthand the available investment opportunities and the positive changes that have begun to take shape on the ground.

The World Governments Summit 2026 brings together more than 60 heads of state and government and their deputies, over 500 ministers, and representatives from more than 150 governments. The Summit also hosts over 80 international and regional organisations and global institutions, alongside more than 700 chief executives of leading global corporations, with total participation exceeding 6,250 attendees.