From “Isolated Islands” to “Governed Models” How Do We Redefine Economic Zones in Lebanon?
Global experiences have demonstrated that economic zones are an effective tool for economic development, provided they are well designed and governed effectively. Amid the renewed interest in economic zones in Lebanon, and the hopes placed on them to stimulate production, attract investment, and create jobs, an important question arises: Are these zones being viewed as […]
Governance of Special and Exclusive Economic Zones: A Comprehensive Framework to Ensure Sustainable Development and Economic Sovereignty
There is no doubt that governance has become the overarching framework for designing and implementing contemporary economic policies. It no longer focuses solely on regulating administrative performance but has evolved into an integrated system that governs the relationship between the three pillars: the state, the market, and society. The significance of this concept becomes even […]
Syrian Special Economic Zones and Their Potential Implications for the Regional Investment Environment: “Where Lebanese Attention is Expected to Turn To”
Two fundamental principles must be considered when addressing the rapidly evolving developments in the Syrian investment environment in general, and in the regulations governing Special Economic Zones in particular, given the anticipated effects that are expected to transcend national borders and extend their impact to the regional investment environment in the foreseeable future. The […]
Environmental Governance and Development in the Special Economic Zone of Tripoli: A Gateway to Transforming Challenges into Opportunities
Apart from any non-developmental controversies or considerations that sometimes dominate the public debate on the role of special economic zones in Lebanon, the Special Economic Zone of Tripoli (SEZT), established pursuant to Law No. (18) of 2008, emerges as an instrument entrusted with stimulating the industrial, commercial, and export sectors and enhancing employment opportunities in […]
Border Economic Zones: Will the Lebanese Syrian Border be a Bridge for Development or a Wall of Incapacitation? (Part Three)
Having defined in the first part the concept of Special Border Economic Zones (SBEZ) and its multifaceted dimensions – economic, social, institutional, and legal – as well as the developmental promises and opportunities for integration it holds, in contrast to the challenges and sensitivities surrounding it, the second part presented pioneering Asian experiences. These were […]
Economic Zones and Free Zones in the United Arab Emirates: A Stimulating Environment and Regional Leadership in Attracting Investments
The United Arab Emirates is regarded as one of the leading states in the development of special economic zones and free zones, hosting more than fifty free zones distributed across its various emirates. These zones have become a cornerstone of the national economic system and an effective tool for diversifying sources of income, attracting foreign […]
Border Economic Zones: The Asian Experience Added Value and Promising Success (Part Two)
In Part One, we discussed Border Economic Zones (SBEZ) as strategic tools for enhancing economic development and cross-border integration between countries. They are defined as “dual-project hubs” aimed at developing infrastructure, facilitating logistics services, and encouraging trade and investment, thereby opening avenues for cooperation between neighboring cities. These zones differ from conventional special economic zones […]
Special Border Economic Zones: Concept, Dimensions, and Challenges (Part One)
The political deviation or aberration represented by U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to establish an economic zone in southern Lebanon bears no resemblance to the concept of border economic zones—the subject of this article—neither in definition, objectives, nor any of their features and characteristics. The zone proposed by Trump is nothing but a disguised and […]
Integration Between Exclusive Economic Zones and Special Economic Zones: An Approach to the Lebanese Experience
Amid the profound transformations brought about by globalization and the growing international competition over resources, innovative legal and economic instruments have emerged, aiming to reshape the developmental landscape of states – whether through the exploitation of maritime spaces or the design of flexible, investment-attractive terrestrial environments. Among the most prominent of these instruments are the: […]
Lebanon’s Special Economic Zones: Promising Opportunities… Wasted Steps… Will they remain… Like a “Giant of Paper”?
Over the past three decades, the world has witnessed an unprecedented surge in the spread of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) which compelled researchers across various academic disciplines – under the pressure of a rapidly evolving global dynamic – to closely track their trajectory and anticipate their repercussions, given their inevitable impact on the very existence […]