Beirut, Lebanon (Enmaeya News) — His Excellency the President of the Republic Gen. Joseph Aoun on Tuesday called for a major push toward digital governance in Lebanon, describing it as a national necessity rather than a luxury.

Aoun drew attention with a lighthearted remark at the start of his speech: “Did you notice everyone before me used electronic tablets, while I showed up with papers?”

Speaking at the “Smart Government: Diaspora Expertise for Lebanon” conference at the Phoenicia Hotel in Beirut, organized by the Lebanese Executives Council, Aoun emphasized the urgency of institutional reform through digitization.

“In Lebanon, even numbers are a matter of opinion,” Aoun said, quoting late Prime Minister Salim Hoss to highlight the country’s lack of reliable data. “I am here today to say: the decision has been made. It is no longer acceptable for Lebanon to stand outside the era of modernization while our expertise is exported worldwide.”

President Aoun added: “The decision has been made to modernize Lebanon and digitize its government by leveraging the technological expertise of the Lebanese diaspora.”

He emphasized the need for Lebanon to move "from numbers as opinion to digitization as vision."

Aoun warned that corruption and patronage networks continue to block digital transformation and keep citizens “hostage to administrative dysfunction.” He stressed that smart governance must ensure transparent, efficient, and inclusive services for all, “without favoritism.”

The president thanked the Lebanese Executives Council and the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) and announced Lebanon’s intention to officially join the DCO.

“Let us correct the equation,” Aoun said in closing. “Lebanon may have many numbers, but little digitization. It’s time we became the hard number again. Let's build the digital republic together.”