Expatriates

First - The status quo:

1. Expatriates are a wealth to Lebanon, and at the same time, an indicator of the growing crises in the country. Migration contributes to exacerbating these crises, to continuously draining Lebanon of some of its elite minds and leads to bolstering the rentier economy.
2. Lebanon’s sectarian system, political corruption, and economic recession are triggering a sense of alienation amongst youngsters who are left without any opportunities in their nation.
3. Corruption and economic policies are preventing the investment of expatriate funds in productive sectors, thus reducing the Lebanese economy’s competitiveness.

Second - The principles:

1. New expatriates play a key and direct role in ending the emigration phenomenon.
2. Partnership with those who have been rooted in immigration countries is deemed essential in the process of revitalizing Lebanon.
3. Expatriates facilitate Lebanon's engagement in the global and regional economy and improve competitiveness.

Third - The vision:

1. The Lebanese nationality law (approved on November 12^th, 2015) must be enforced, and expatriates must be represented in political life.
2. The expatriates' right to vote should be activated, and the Lebanese consulates’ professionalism and impartiality must be observed abroad.
3. Political and cultural communication with expatriates should be activated outside the framework of the traditional sectarian lines.
4. Economic partnership with expatriates must be improved and the role of concerned ministries and institutions in building bridges of institutional communication with expatriates must be reinforced.
5. An independent ministry for expatriates should be established. To that extent, the Lebanese National Bloc Party had called for the need to lay down a formal national policy to strengthen communication with expatriates and encourage them to boost their ties with Lebanon through incentive measures.

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