RDCL hosted a special session during the Opening Ceremony of Lebanon Grand Energy Event 2025 at the Metropolitan Hotel, Beirut, with the participation of H.E. Mr. Joe Saddi, Minister of Energy and Water, H.E. Mr. Joe Issa-El-Khoury, Minister of Industry, Mr. Salim Zeenni, President of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALI) and RDCL member, Mr. Enrique Blanco Armas, World Bank Country Director for Lebanon, Mr. Pierre El Khoury, Secretary of the Lebanon Committee at the World Energy Council, and Mr. William Boutros, President of the Syndicate of Poultry Farmers in Lebanon. The session was moderated by Mrs. Dalia Jubaili, Board Member at RDCL.

Mrs. Joumana Saddi Chaya, President of RDCL, opened the discussion by reaffirming the RDCL’s mission since its foundation in 1986 in defending Lebanon’s legal private sector as the backbone of the economy, while extending her thanks to the World Bank for its continued support.

Mrs. Dalia Jubaili emphasized that Lebanon’s energy challenge is not only technical but also a matter of dignity and opportunity, stressing the urgency of reliable power and sustainable financing.

From their end, the Ministers shared their main priorities:
– H.E. Joe Saddi underscored the importance of operationalizing the electricity regulatory authority, ensuring transparency, liberalizing the sector, and advancing the transition to natural gas as a cleaner and more affordable source.
– H.E. Joe Issa-El-Khoury stressed that industry cannot recover without addressing energy costs, calling for Microgrids in industrial zones, Net Metering reforms, tariff restructuring, and access to banking facilities for industrialists.

The session also drew on insights from Mr. Salim Zeenni, Mr. Enrique Blanco Armas, Mr. Pierre El Khoury, and Mr. William Boutros, who highlighted the role of renewable energy, efficiency policies, sustainable production, and innovative financing mechanisms in reinforcing industrial competitiveness and driving Lebanon’s energy transition.

This session underscored the urgency of reform, financing, and decentralization as essential conditions to restore confidence, attract investment, and pave the way for a sustainable energy future for Lebanon.