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About TECHLEB .:.
TECHLEB|06 aims to
define the roadmap of development strategies and initiatives
essential to making Lebanon a vibrant and sustainable technology
hub in the Middle East & North Africa region (MENA). The
conference will convene key players from the Lebanese private
sector, government, and diaspora to connect the building blocks
of Lebanon’s technology sector: technical and legal
infrastructure, capacity development, economic opportunity,
global market access, and tax climate. The strategic importance
of a thriving technology sector in Lebanon lies in its ripple
effect on other sectors and services from both an economic and
social standpoint.
While the local industry
seems potentially capable of playing its part in making Lebanon
an export-driven technology hub, the Lebanese government needs
to create an environment suitable for national expertise and
innovation to flourish. Support must be given to the
ever-expanding diaspora to facilitate its effective contribution
to the production of new technology ventures and to Lebanon’s
transition towards a knowledge-based economy. The Indian, Irish,
and Israeli diasporas, among others, have been instrumental in
their homelands’ external networking and technology export
success. However, this could not have happened without their
governments assuming the role of an industry promoter and
providing the necessary infrastructural, legislative, financial,
and educational incentives. To this end, the conference intends
to attract, accommodate, and address the three pillars to any
success for Lebanon as a regional technology hub: the private
sector, the government, and the diaspora.
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Target Participants .:.
Major players and
stakeholders expected to be present or addressed in/by the
conference to best meet its objectives are the:
.
Private Sector
(Lebanese established companies, SMEs, startups, technology export
success stories, Lebanese leaders in offshore outsourcing, key
players in upcoming high-tech industries... would share with
conferees their industry needs, capabilities, and aspirations)
.
Government
(ICT
Parliamentary Committee, OMSAR/TCU, MOT, MOF, MOET, Central
Bank, IDAL, CDR, BETZ & ECOMLEB status, among others... would
share with conferees ongoing/projected initiatives, expectations
from expatriates, measures undertaken to implement relevant
pledges in 2005 Council of Ministers Policy Statement, and
commitments to the conference outcomes)
.
Diaspora
(corporate executives, entrepreneurs, VCs, engineers, IP
experts, researchers, marketers, students, among others in the
realm of technology, in their capacity as Lebanon’s human
capital with expertise, not just raw talent... would share with
conferees what they can offer, relevant experiences outside, and
visions for Lebanon)
.
International Organizations and Donors
(USAID, UNDP, ESCWA, EUROMED, World Bank, IMF, SRI/CSTED,
among others, playing an ongoing role in rejuvenating Lebanon
through funding, national data collection and analysis, and
development initiatives... would share with conferees ongoing
development programs, statistics, and expectations for Lebanon)
.
Non-Governmental Organizations and Non-Profits
(PCA,
ALSI, LBN, ITIA-Lebanon, INLET, LCPS, ADIL, BERYTECH, among
others... would share with conferees individual missions and
activities, difficulties faced, and willingness to make
conference outcomes part of their own missions in/for Lebanon)
.
Academia (secondary schooling, vocational training, university
education, and graduate research in Lebanese academic
institutions... would share with conferees current trends and
future directions in curricula, new graduate programs, and
research areas and resources as related to the conference
objectives)
Additional players
who would bring added-value to the conference are the:
.
Media (Lebanese television, radio, press, and the web, all of
which have an essential role to play in assisting the public and
private sectors to raise technological awareness in Lebanon and
in providing
TECHLEB|06 and its outcomes with a dissemination platform to
the Lebanese public and diaspora)
. Entities with
Comparable Experiences
(Examples include an IDA official relating the Irish experience
and recommendations for Lebanon, the ASTF introducing related
technology development programs in MENA, studying the Jordanian
JV2020 vision, among many others)
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