 On December 16, 2025, our Institute and the Department of Economics at the American University of Beirut, and as part of the "Lebanon: Towards a Productive Economy" Seminar Series, held a panel discussion on: "Towards a Just and Effective Tax System," with Ishac Diwan, Karim Daher, Mona Fawaz and Ali Abboud, moderated by Saade Chami. About the Discussion: Lebanon has traditionally maintained a low taxation rate, despite high public expectations regarding the role of the state. This began to change in 2001 with the introduction of VAT, which has since become the state’s single largest source of revenue. Over the two decades that followed, various reforms were proposed and implemented, culminating in the widely denounced “WhatsApp tax” of October 2019 that helped ignite the subsequent waves of protest. Since the triple-crisis of 2019, government revenue and expenditure have collapsed by a factor of four, before starting a slow recovery. The 2025 budget proposes to return tax revenues to about the same ratio of GDP as in 2018, although tax revenues remain at a much lower absolute level. With an exceptionally large informal sector and recurring revelations of past tax evasion schemes, key questions arise: How can the state increase its revenues in a just and effective way? Where are the untapped bases that could be taxed in a socially fair manner? Conversely, which taxes disproportionately burden the poorest and should be reconsidered or removed? How could taxation be used to nudge behavior in ways that enhance welfare in Lebanon? في 15 كانون الأول 2025، أقام معهدنا حلقة نقاش إفتراضية بعنوان: "ولادة سوريا من جديد؟ مسارات الانتقال والعدالة والإصلاح المؤسسي" وتحدث خلالها كل من عمار قحف، سوسن زكزك، مازن درويش، وزوزان علوش، وحاورهم زيدون الزعبي.ء عن حلقة النقاش:ء بعد عام واحد على سقوط النظام السوري، تقف البلاد عند مفترق طرق تاريخي. فقد أدّى انهيار النظام القديم إلى دخول سوريا في مرحلة انتقالية حرجة وملحّة. لكن ما هي الخطوات العملية نحو مستقبل مستقر، شامل، وعادل؟ استضافت حلقة النقاش الافتراضية هذه أبرز الخبراء السوريين لاستكشاف أكثر القضايا الوطنية إلحاحاً، مدعَّمةً بتحليل لما يمكن توقّعه في المستقبل القريب.ء ومن خلال تناول قضايا الانتقال السياسي، العدالة الانتقالية، والحوكمة الشاملة، ناقش المتحدثون وأجابوا عن أسئلة من بينها: ما هي التحديات البنيوية التي لا تزال تعترض إعادة بناء الدولة، خصوصاً في مناطق مثل الساحل السوري، والسويداء، والمناطق الخاضعة لسيطرة قوات سوريا الديمقراطية؟ وهل بدأ فعلاً مسار المساءلة وصون حقوق الضحايا؟ ما هي الرؤية العملية التي تنقل البلاد من مرحلة العدالة إلى المصالحة المستدامة؟ كذلك ما الأطُر المؤسسية المطلوبة لضمان حوكمة تمثيلية، وكيف يمكن ضمان الأدوار الجوهرية للنساء والأقليات في هيئات الحكم الجديدة؟ وما هي الحدود والفرص والسيناريوهات المستقبلية للحوار بين الحكومة المركزية وأطراف البلاد؟ Syria Rebirth? Pathways of Transition, Justice, and Institutional Reform
On December 15, 2025, our Institute held a webinar on: "Syria Rebirth? Pathways of Transition, Justice, and Institutional Reform," with Ammar Kahef, Sawsan Zakzak, Mazen Darwish and Zozan Allouch, moderated by Zedoun AlZohbi. One year after the fall of the Syrian regime, the country stands at a historic crossroads. The collapse of the old order has brought Syria into a critical, urgent transitional phase. But what are the concrete steps toward a stable, inclusive, and just future? The webinar featured Syria's leading experts and practitioners to explore the most pressing national questions, enriched by an analysis of what to expect in the near future. The webinar tackled issues of political transition, transitional justice, and inclusive governance, some of the questions that was answered include: What structural challenges remain in rebuilding the state, especially concerning areas like the coast, Sweidaa, and SDF-held territories? Has the path toward accountability and upholding victims' rights truly begun? What practical vision moves the country from justice to sustainable reconciliation? What institutional frameworks are needed to ensure representative governance, and how can the essential roles of women and minorities be secured in the new governance bodies? What are the limits, opportunities, and future scenarios for dialogue between the central government and the Peripheries? On the occasion of the International Day of the Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime, our Institute and the Armenian General Benevolent Union Lebanon (AGBU) held their annual conference on “Investing in the Power of Youth for Countering and Addressing Hate Speech and Preventing Genocide,” on December 11, 2025.
The conference highlighted the vital role of young people in shaping narratives, promoting tolerance, and leading efforts to prevent mass atrocities, examining how empowering youth can help counter and prevent hate speech, while fostering more resilient and inclusive societies. You can read the full conference report here. |
