Cisco Saudi GM affirms Cisco's commitment to Lebanon

The Partnership is a multi-national effort designed to help the people of Lebanon build a better future by expanding the reach of education and workforce training, creating jobs, building out the country's technology infrastructure, and connecting communities and government.

John Chambers, Chairman and CEO, Cisco; Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft; Craig Barrett, Chairman, Intel Corporation; Yousif B. Ghafari, Chairman, GHAFARI, Inc.; and Dr. Ray Irani, Chairman, President and CEO, Occidental Petroleum Corporation are the leaders of the Partnership for Lebanon.

In January 2007, the Partnership announced focus on five key areas critical to creating sustainable economic growth in Lebanon: connected communities/connected government; workforce training and education; job creation/private sector revival; information communication technology infrastructure; and relief and response.

The Partnership announces progress in a variety of these efforts.

Connected Communities: The Partnership has launched IT-based transformation projects through full-service online community access points in local villages and towns. These "connected communities" will use technology to more efficiently deliver government and social services - education, workforce training, health care - and to promote creative solutions to community development challenges.

Education and Workforce Training: The Partnership continues its focus on providing education and job training for Lebanese youth, announcing that it will place more than 500 qualified Lebanese interns at leading companies and government agencies in Lebanon, the U.S, and across the globe over the next three years.

Recently, the first 15 interns from Lebanon arrived in the United States, and are currently undergoing orientation for work at Cisco's corporate headquarters in California and at the Cisco Networking Academy support center in Arizona. Intel and Cisco are also receiving five Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) interns at their corporate headquarters in California.

Job Creation/Private Sector Revival: The Partnership is working to grow Lebanon's private sector and create jobs in six key industries: technology, tourism, banking and finance, agribusiness, health care, and manufacturing. Lebanon has a rich history of entrepreneurship and can accelerate growth and innovation through business alliances that offer support in the areas of channel distribution, marketing, business expertise, etc.

ICT Infrastructure: The Partnership is working to modernize Lebanon's ICT infrastructure to improve the speed and efficiency of Internet traffic flow, and potentially decrease connectivity costs for the Lebanese people. The effort includes assistance to the Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (TRA) to establish an enabling environment for ICT that can promote innovation, investment and infrastructure development as well as working to provide an International Internet Gateway and Internet Exchange Point for the country.

Furthermore, Intel is installing a state-of-the-art wireless network in parts of the country to accelerate the use of computers and high-speed Internet access. WiMAX systems are getting deployed at two hospitals, one school and two community centers.

Relief and Response: The Partnership is working with proven NGOs like Habitat for Humanity, United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF), American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), and Mercy Corps to provide relief and response. Funds raised by the Partnership are being used to rebuild homes, rehabilitate schools, and expand workforce training programs.

"As one of the key members of the Partnership for Lebanon organization, Cisco is committed to helping the people of Lebanon find the path to long term stability and economic growth," said Dr. Al Badr. "Cisco, across the world, pledges its full support to the success of the Partnership and to enhancing the lives of the Lebanese people."