In a step reflecting a renewed effort to reactivate national consultative institutions, the Lebanese Council of Ministers has approved the decree establishing the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, as part of a broader process to modernize its structure and expand its sectoral representation, thereby strengthening its role as an inclusive national dialogue platform bringing together the State and the various components of the productive sectors.
The decree was published in the Official Gazette, pursuant to Law No. 389 of 12 January 1995 and its amendments, which established the Council, as well as the regulatory decree defining the most representative bodies of the sectors composing it. This new formation comes at a critical moment for Lebanon, where the need for integrated economic, social, and environmental policies is becoming increasingly urgent in light of mounting challenges.
Appointments within the Economic, Social and Environmental Council were distributed across various sectors in a manner reflecting broad professional and representative diversity. The employers’ group includes representatives from the industrial sector (Georges Nasraoui, Mounir Bsat), the commercial sector (Mohammad Choucair, Adnan Rammal), the agricultural sector (Imran Fakhri, Najib Fares), the banking sector (Marwan Barakat, Elias Baz), and the tourism sector (Wadieh Kanaan, Khaled Nazha), in addition to representatives from transport (Bassam Tleis), contractors (Abdo Sakriyeh), insurance (Assaad Mirza), private hospitalization (Boutros Bard), private education (Youssef Nasr), technology (Maroun Chamas), and real estate (Mohammad Abou Darwish).
The liberal professions are also represented through the Bar Associations (Aline Choukeir, Zahra Al Jisr), the Order of Engineers (Jihad Chahine, Chawki Fattfat), the Order of Physicians (Boulos Daher, Ibrahim Makdessi), pharmacists (Samer Soubra), dentists (Ziad Zeidan, Milad Deeb), and certified public accountants (Fadi Al Masri), in addition to representatives of newspaper owners (Charles Ayoub) and editors (Joseph Kossaifi).
On the trade union level, the Council includes representatives of workers (including Bechara Al Asmar, Hassan Faqih, Saad Saqr, Antoine Antoine, Chadi Al Sayyed, Fadi Andrea, among others), university professors (Anis Boudiab, Mireille Chayaq), artisans (Youssef Bassam, Elie Chbatini), teachers in both private and public education (Nehmeh Mahfouz, Hussein Jawad), the Writers’ Union (Ahmad Nazzal), the Publishers’ Union (Shahin Kandaharian), property owners (Patrick Rizkallah), and tenants (Maya Bajara).
The representation also extends to cooperative associations (Reda Al Mays, Abbas Nasser), non-governmental social institutions (Zeina Mohanna, Ahmad Jomaa, Sara Nasser), women’s unions (Loris Sfeir, Hind Al Soufi), as well as individuals of expertise and thought (including Charles Arbid, Karim Bitar, Chadi Hamadeh, Salah Assiran, Georges Doueihy, Tarek Ammar, Imad Assi, among others), Lebanese expatriates (Mohammad Al Jozou, Abdel Hussein Baydoun, Joseph Nahra, Badawi Al Hajj, Henri Bou Saab, Charbel Younan), in addition to representatives of the environmental sector (Malek Ghandour, Marc Aoun) and civil society (Judith Tannous, Ziad Abdel Samad, Zeina Helou, Adib Nehmeh).
This composition reflects a comprehensive approach that brings together both traditional and emerging sectors within a more integrated vision for public policymaking.
Expansion of Sectoral Representation
The new appointments are distinguished by the inclusion of emerging sectors for the first time in the Council’s composition, reflecting a shift in understanding the priorities of the current phase. The new representation includes the environment, civil society, technology, and real estate sectors, alongside traditional sectors such as industry, commerce, agriculture, banking, and tourism, as well as the liberal professions.
The inclusion of the environmental sector is widely seen as a clear indicator of the integration of environmental considerations into public policies, particularly in light of increasing climate and environmental challenges. Similarly, the representation of civil society constitutes a step toward strengthening societal participation in decision-making processes, while the presence of the technology sector reflects a growing recognition of the importance of the digital economy and technological transformation. The introduction of the real estate sector, for its part, comes within the context of reorganizing one of the most influential sectors in the national economy.
Broad Renewal of the Council’s Structure
According to official data, the newly formed Council comprises 80 members, compared to 71 members in previous configurations, reflecting an expansion in the base of representation. Notably, approximately 78% of members are new appointees, indicating a significant renewal in the Council’s composition.
Women’s participation stands at approximately 18.75%, reflecting a relative improvement in female representation, although it remains below the level required to achieve genuine gender balance within national institutions.
The transformation is not limited to names alone but extends to the nature of expertise and specializations represented. There is a notable presence of technical, scientific, and professional expertise, which is expected to positively impact the quality of deliberations within the Council, as well as the level of its policy recommendations.
Towards Revitalizing Institutional Action
The Economic, Social and Environmental Council, in its new composition, is expected to assume a more effective role in shaping public policies, particularly in light of the multiple economic and social crises facing Lebanon. By law, the Council serves as a national consultative body tasked with providing opinions on draft laws and public policies, as well as fostering dialogue between the State and productive, professional, and trade union sectors.
The new composition, with its diversity and range of expertise, is likely to enhance the Council’s capacity to propose comprehensive and integrated approaches that take into account economic, social, and environmental dimensions simultaneously.
It is expected that the eldest member will soon convene the Council’s first session, followed by the election of the Council’s President and its Bureau in early April. This will be followed by the formation of specialized committees, which constitute the backbone of the Council’s work.
These steps represent a critical juncture in assessing the Council’s ability to translate this structural renewal into tangible performance and to produce actionable recommendations that respond to current challenges and citizens’ expectations.
This development signals a serious attempt to inject new momentum into national institutions and to reactivate consultative frameworks that have long been a cornerstone of public policy development. It also reflects a shift toward valuing expertise and competence in public affairs, as opposed to traditional quota-based approaches.
The key challenge ahead for the Council will be to translate this momentum into concrete outcomes, through the formulation of practical recommendations, the follow-up on their implementation, and the strengthening of its role as a reference body in economic, social, and environmental policymaking.
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