Lebanon - Preventing Violent Extremism

National Strategy

This document presents the Lebanese National Strategy for Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE). Resulting from the national coordination with all of government, the strategy was endorsed by the Government of Lebanon on 27 March 2018. It provides a general background of the reality of violent extremism in Lebanon, the rationale behind its development and the steps that were taken to formulate it. It outlines the key governmental positions adopted by the strategy, its general framework and the definitions of violent extremism and prevention, in addition to the standards that have been taken into consideration when developing it. Finally, the document introduces the nine pillars and areas of activity for the strategy that have been agreed upon by the ministries.

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The Roadmap

In 2016, the Government of Lebanon (GoL) initiated a process to develop a national strategy for Preventing Violent Extremism, which came as a positive response to the United Nations Secretary General’s global Plan of Action for Preventing Violent Extremism. The Strategy’s key positions and strategic objectives were developed and endorsed throughout two high-level consultative meetings presided by the Prime Minister and attended by the GoL ministers and the international community. The GoL endorsed the strategy on the 27th of March 2018

Prime Minister's Foreword

The Lebanese people have shown a high degree of national and social cohesion and solidarity, as they have rallied around their national state and its executive, legislative and judicial institutions to counter violent extremism which targets social peace and socioeconomic stability. The Government has entrusted an all- ministry national committee with developing a national and scientifically-based strategy in accordance with international standards to prevent violent extremism; and based on the premise that social cohesion and order within the framework of a modern, strong and just national state are the main deterrents to violent extremism.

Furthermore, a national definition of violent extremism that is inspired by the characteristics of the Lebanese reality has been developed and helps to further understand the role of and need for a national state.
The Government considers the unanimous adoption of the national strategy, at the Cabinet meeting on 27 March 2018 at Baabda Palace, a national achievement that reflects the will of the Lebanese people to protect their national unity and social and economic cohesion against the threats and risks of violent extremism.

The Government highly values the cooperation that culminated in the production of this strategy, including with the Office of the Resident Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Swiss Government, the National Initiative for the Centennial of Greater Lebanon and the international entities and institutions that have expressed their readiness to cooperate in the implementation of the strategy and the achievement of its national objectives.

Saad Hariri
President of the Council of Ministers

General Objectives

The overarching objective of the National Strategy is to pre-emptively immunise the Lebanese society from causes of susceptibility to violent extremism.

The general objectives of the strategy are:

A. Regaining Social Trust

Trust among the members of a society and between the society and the state are the primary sources of social cohesion and stability. Its presence is positively correlated with increasing and sustained economic growth, effective institutional performance and the development of capacities necessary to confront the challenges of violent extremism. Increasing trust within Lebanese society is the most important way to counter the polarizing power of extremist narratives. Every public policy and program aimed at supporting trust-building among the various components of society on the one hand, and state institutions on the other, is seen as a strategic priority.

The State encourages every scientific research effort that focuses on measuring the concept and indicators of trust among Lebanese citizens and institutions as well as the means of promoting and building trust and the subsequent effects on social peace and prosperity.
Complying with the approach of the Government to regain trust is based on the importance of national engagement in this process.

B. Promoting Citizenship

Promoting identity, citizenship and the sense of national belonging among all members of Lebanese society is a key goal for the strategy of preventing violent extremism.
Promoting the national culture of the state as the guarantor of identity, citizenship and national belonging with responsibility for the implementation and follow-up of this strategy is essential.

C. Achieving Social Justice

Social justice is a general principle that should be pursued and that should be the starting point of all public policies.
The concept of social justice is an integrated concept that includes individuals, social components and geographic areas.

D. Monitoring Social Transformations

As a result of the complex and cross- cutting nature of the challenge of violent extremism, as indicated in Section 2 of the General Framework, a preventive and proactive response requires that its signals be monitored and considered within the context of social transformations occurring at national and local levels, by focusing on the interactions among the components of society and understanding their determinants, causes and effects. This should be done over an extended period of time, since such interactions occur in a cumulative way over time.
Universities, research centers and official, community and international institutions will undertake a scientific effort to monitor, study and follow up on social transformations in order to prevent the emergence of violent extremism.