Our aim is to make Lebanon a global innovation hub."

Prime Minister Saad Hariri delivered a speech at the Grand Serail this morning at the launch of "DiasporaID" in cooperation with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), a digital platform to connect the Lebanese Diaspora with their hometowns and foster cooperative action to support Lebanon's sustainable development, a statement by Hariri's press office indicated on Thursday.

Following is the Prime Minister's speech:

"Rafik Hariri was an expatriate who traveled to find a job in the Gulf because he wanted to develop himself.
His heart was devastated like all the expatriates to see his country destroyed, but he did not remain abroad and returned to Lebanon, although it was destroyed because he wanted to give hope which encouraged many expatriates to return to the country.

The Martyr Prime Minister had a dream and what is happening today in this platform is a dream embodied in the vision of the Lebanese expatriate returning to his country, seeing it with all its problems, divisions, beauty, charm and distinctive diversity in the world. It is not the natural sites and the proximity of geographic distances that distinguish it, but the political and cultural life in which we live. If we look around, we see a mixture that brought us to where we are today.

Lebanon will continue this path, Rafik Hariri's dream will continue with you andwith us and with all the Lebanese, we will continue the journey because we, like the martyr Prime Minister and Mrs. Roula Moussa, and many Lebanese will continue to dream until we see Lebanon as we want.

I would like to congratulate Netways and USAID on the successful launch of DiasporaID, a digital platform to connect the Lebanese Diaspora with their hometowns and foster collaborative action to support Lebanon's sustainable development.
Far more than an idea or an IT solution, DiasporaID is a vision that successfully capitalizes on the numerous potentials which Lebanon holds.

For what is Lebanon, if not an identity?
An identity to approximately 14 million Diaspora across the world.
A home beyond its borders as it remains in their hearts generation after generation.

DiaporaID taps into this identity and leverages the strong bonds the Lebanese Diaspora feels towards their local communities and their desire to contribute to their country and hometowns.

(And) What is Lebanon if not an innovation?
A melting-pot of ideas, creativity, entrepreneurship and advancements in science, technology and arts.
It was here that the modern alphabet was conceived, where innovations in textiles, shipping, politics, and finance were made then marketed to the world.
And more recently, where print was popularized for the Middle East.
Lebanon has always been a lab for new ideas.

Today, we hold all the right ingredients at our disposal.

We have highly educated human capital, an open economy, unparalleled financial expertise, and a successful and loyal Diaspora.

All over the world, we have Lebanese leading in their industries.

DiasporaID has innovated in the best sense of the word.

It has created a new IT solution and used cutting edge Artificial Intelligence to capitalize on the enormous potential of the Lebanese Diaspora to contribute to employment and economic growth in Lebanon.

(And finally,) What is Lebanon if not an opportunity?
In this age of technological revolution, the opportunities are endless.
Having you all here today reinforces our aim to make Lebanon a global innovation hub, one that acts as a catalyst for high value-added job creation and inclusive growth and simultaneously enhances the quality of our economy by diversifying productive economic sectors.
This in turn will attract our best talent to stay, build and export, rather than immigrate.

The world is experiencing a shift in its classic economic model
driven by technology.

The path to growth and prosperity has been dramatically shortened as a result of the technological tools and platforms made available by companies such as Netways.

Diaspora ID has created an unimaginable opportunity for Lebanese at home and abroad.

Its possibilities are endless.
Allow me to conclude by highlighting that today's launch of DiasporaID falls perfectly under our Summer of Innovation, a summer in which we at the Prime Minister's office are celebrating activities in the areas of innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity.

I believe that the only way Lebanon can prosper in the future is by:

1. Educating and empowering our youth with the necessary tools to allow them to compete and excel in the new knowledge economy

2. Enabling and collaborating with the private sector

3. Engaging the Diaspora and creating a better environment for their return and/or participation

I am here today because I believe in your power, the power of today's innovators and the power of Lebanon's Diaspora.

I also believe in technology as an enabler and the power of a technological revolution.

I want to make sure that we provide you with everything you need
to make your future, the future of Lebanon, a success.

There are Lebanese all over the world in China, Japan and Australia, expatriates from Akkar and from all regions of Lebanon, in America and Europe, and the idea of Ms. Moussa is a very important idea because it is part of the structure that will ensure communication between us and the Lebanese Diaspora everywhere in the world .

We in the government are always working to link the Diaspora to the country through embassies, consulates, Middle East Airlines and others. What is important in what we are launching today is that we can do this and more just by pressing the button, you can communicate with any mayor in any area to complete a business or to inquire about family links. This project helps to know the history of families and to link the Diaspora to the country.

All our efforts are aimed at connecting Lebanese with each other and technology today is an opportunity for Lebanon, the Lebanese and for the Lebanese economy.

Finally, I would like to welcome the head of municipalities, mayors from all towns, and all the attendees and I tell them that the Grand Serail is their home and this new project is an opportunity for you and for Lebanon."

The US ambassador to Lebanon Elizabeth Richard also delivered a speech and said:

"Your Excellency Prime Minister Hariri, esteemed Ministers, members of the Parliament, our friends at Netways, ladies and gentlemen. I am so happy to be here with all of you to officially launch the Diaspora investment and development platform Diaspora ID. I would like to especially thank Prime Minister Hariri for graciously hosting this event to promote the important role that the Diaspora can play in Lebanon's economic prosperity. I think it is very meaningful that our doing this here today. with this support we are confident that the platform that we will launch today will build stronger ties between the U.S and Lebanon by energizing this Diaspora to support Lebanon's development.

About 40 million Americans are first or second generation immigrants. This includes several very impressive millions of Lebanese descent. they are among the most successful immigrants.

They become national leaders, including four currently sitting members of our Congress. Some of our leading scientists in the globe are from Lebanon, including Elias James Corey who was the 1990 recipient of the Nobel Peace prize in chemistry, regarded by many as one of the greatest living chemists. Some are successful businessmen and women, including Paul Orfalea, founder of Kinkos, Debra Cafaro, the CEO of the an investment firm Ventas, and one of only two women named by Harvard Business Review in its list of the Top 50 best performing CEOs in the world for three years in a row, very impressive!

Lebanese Americans are also doctors, influential writers, entertainers, and innovators; yet these great Americans maintain a profound connection to Lebanon because of family, friends and a deep sense of cultural heritage.

They have diverse experience, connections, as well as exceptional human and capital resources at their disposal, so many of them are looking for a way to contribute directly to Lebanon's development and prosperity, even from abroad.

We in the US government believe in Lebanon and we have invested over 45 million dollars in just the past 3 years in economic development, startup capital for new businesses, training and mentoring for young entrepreneurs. You know there are many success stories, I wish I had time to tell them all but I want to highlight one, a young Lebanese gentleman who was a beneficiary of the USAID Grant of about 200.000$ to start a Biotechnology company and his company is working on a minimally-invasive device that many expect is going to revolutionize heart surgery. These are very impressive outcomes of our investments as a US government in Lebanon and we are proud of these investments. But it's equally important to help our friends in the Diaspora to also give back to their country.

That's why we are so pleased to help launch this very innovative social network called DiasporaID. Through a grant of over $1 million, we will help create a platform that will help Lebanese Americans and Lebanese around the globe strengthen their connection to their communities of origin. We'll help them turn their general sense of wanting to help their home country into concrete opportunities to create jobs, to raise funds for local projects, to provide on-line mentoring for young people, or to market and purchase the products of Lebanese small businesses. With DiasporaID, they will be able to easily access the platform from anywhere in the world to make positive change back home.

We are very proud to support this innovative Lebanese private sector initiative led by Netways and I couldn't be more happy to be here with Roula Moussa who is actually one of the most inspirational examples of someone who has not only succeeded quite extensively on her own but who has come back to Lebanon to help other succeed. I think this is the spirit of giving back to the country that we are so proud to be associated with.

I thank everyone for being here with us today to launch the DiasporaID, I think it is the most exceptional initiative I have seen in quite some time and I am sure it will be very successful

Source: NNA