Salam's Cabinet denies reports on abolition of state committees and institutions

The Lebanese Cabinet on Monday denied media reports claiming the government is planning to abolish state committees and institutions in Lebanon, stating that the document cited by local outlets originated from a draft prepared by the ministerial team of the previous Cabinet under Najib Mikati.

"In response to reports about a government project to abolish certain institutions, bodies, and public councils, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers affirms that this project was prepared by the government of Najib Mikati," the Grand Serail said in a statement. It added that the proposal "has not been discussed by the government of Nawaf Salam and has never been presented to it."

The denial follows a report by the daily Nidaa al-Watan, which claimed in an article that the Salam government had drafted a plan to restructure public institutions and independent organizations, totaling 143. The report criticized this figure as excessive given the size of Lebanon’s economy and state.

According to the newspaper, the project proposes eliminating 11 institutions, bodies, and councils deemed unproductive or financially burdensome. Among those named are the Central Fund for Displaced Persons, the General Company for Consumer Markets, and the General Investment Projects Company on Beirut's international airport campus. The plan also includes merging three entities: the Basil Fuleihan Institute of Finance, the National Council for Tourism Development, and the National Council for Tourism Promotion.

The draft further suggests restructuring or updating the missions of five key economic institutions:

• Elissar, an urban planning and development project launched in 1996 for Beirut’s southern suburbs but never fully realized.
• The Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL)
• The National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS-Liban)
• The National Authority of the Litani
• The Green Project, a land reclamation initiative dating back to the 1960s and 1970s.

Additionally, the proposal calls for a review of three major institutions — the Council for Development and Reconstruction, the Council of the South, and the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council — to assess their future roles.

Finally, the project recommends evaluating whether to retain or merge seven other institutions and councils:

• The Railway and Public Transport Authority
• The Tripoli Port Investment Authority
• The National Accreditation Council
• The Lebanese Standards Institution
• The National Authority for Managing Private Estates in Lebanon
• The National Environment Fund
• The National Council for the Environment