03 Apr 2025
Conference in Beirut on the “Right of Access to Information Law”: Showcasing Achievements, Challenges, and Prospects for Advancement
As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the implementation of the Right of Access to Information Law, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and joint funding from the European Union and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark, organized a conference entitled “The Right to Access Information Law: Achievements, Challenges, and Prospects for Advancement.” The event took place on Thursday, 3 April 2025, at UNESCO Palace in Beirut.
His Excellency Minister of Justice Adel Nassar represented both His Excellency the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, and His Excellency the Prime Minister, Judge Nawaf Salam, while MP Mohammad Khawaja represented Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri. The conference gathered a wide audience of political, judicial, diplomatic, and academic figures, including ministers, parliamentarians, judges, ambassadors, directors-general, lawyers, and university students, underscoring the importance of the event at both the national and professional levels.
The conference opened with remarks by Judge Claude Karam, President of the NACC, and from international partners Ms. Alessandra Viezzer, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Lebanon, and Ms. Blerta Aliko, Resident Representative of UNDP Lebanon. The speakers emphasized the value of the ongoing partnership and its pivotal role in advancing transparency and good governance initiatives.
A panel discussion followed, featuring leading experts and practitioners in the field of access to information, including Judge Therese Alawi, member of the Commission. The discussion addressed the current state of implementation of the law and presented the key findings of the first national report issued by the NACC on the level of compliance of national and local public administrations with the Law, officially launched during the conference.
This conference marked an important milestone in Lebanon’s path toward enhanced transparency and accountability, serving as a platform for exchanging experiences and discussing challenges, with a view to developing more effective mechanisms for implementing the Right of Access to Information Law.