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We hope that our cooperation will be a starting point for partnership and integration between the private and public sectors - Salloukh

The project will serve the country and electronically link it with 87 of its embassies worldwide – Abu-Ghazaleh

BEIRUT  Feb. 26, 2008  As part of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Information Technology International’s (TAGITI) mission to provide electronic professional services in Lebanon, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants today at the Ministry's premises related to the restructuring of the Ministry's procedures, its communication with its diplomatic missions and consulates as well as the application of a Document Management System (DMS) and electronic control systems. 

The MoU includes studying administrative and financial procedures and their oversight, in addition to the institutional management system regarding resources and the e-government portal.

The MoU was signed between outgoing Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, HE Mr. Fawzi Salloukh, and Chairman of the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAGorg), Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh. It comes within the framework of a comprehensive plan prepared by the Office of the Minister of State for Administrative Reform (OMSAR) in coordination with the relevant ministries and the Prime Minister's Office.

From the Lebanese side, the ceremony was attended by Ambassador Bassam Al-Nomani, Deputy Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Ambassador George Siam, Director of Protocol, Ambassador Noel Fattal, Director of Legal Consultations in addition to an OMSAR delegation.

Following the signing, Minister Salloukh delivered a speech where he hoped that the cooperation "will be a starting point for partnership and integration between the private and public sectors through which official administrations and citizens can benefit from the private sector’s experiences and activities."

The Minister added that the agreement is "an acknowledgement on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants on the importance of developing its financial, administrative and other related procedures and modernizing its systems and internal communication network which includes its electronic linking with its missions abroad," pointing out that the Ministry, in cooperation with OMSAR, has studied these issues seriously in previous years.

He noted that the "previous negotiations and studies have culminated in this signed MoU with TAGITI," adding that "TAGITI will draw and execute a comprehensive and mechanized plan for all the procedures and activities between the Ministry and our diplomatic mission abroad through the development of an effective mechanism linked to a central system."

"The activities will include business accounting, administrative transactions, administrative and financial systems, e-Visa, and the Ministry's transactions with the General Directorate for Public Security," he added, stating that this is a pilot project in what’s known today as the era of mechanization and communications for e-governments.

On his part, Abu-Ghazaleh said: "I would like to take this opportunity to firstly thank H.E. Minister Salloukh and his Ministry for the arrangements and preparations undergone for this meeting and signing ceremony. We also owe thanks to OMSAR, which has accompanied us from the beginning to prepare for this agreement under the guidance of H.E. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, who has shown and continues to show great interest in