Partnership for Lebanon was established by U.S. business leaders in September 2006 to assist in postwar reconstruction efforts in Lebanon and to help the Lebanese people find the path to long-term stability and economic growth. The focus is on areas where the partners believe we will have the most impact: IT infrastructure, workforce training and education, private sector revival, connected communities and government, and crisis relief and response.

Highlights

In FY07 Cisco supported the Partnership for Lebanon initiative by:

• Establishing a program management office staffed by five senior full-time Cisco employees
• Engaging Digital Opportunity Trust—a nonprofit funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), USAID, and the Cisco Foundation—to analyze the emerging and future needs of Lebanon
• Donating two Cisco 12000 Series Routers for an International Internet Gateway
• Dispatching a senior consulting team to assess the needs of the public sector and lead an effort to create a national broadband strategy
• Finalizing an agreement with Hariri Foundation, the Ministry of Education, and the Lebanese American University to more than double Networking Academy sites, from 21 to 44
• Sponsoring or hosting 16 Lebanese interns at Cisco facilities in Phoenix, Arizona, and San Jose, California
• Working with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), and the Near East Consulting Group (NECG) to match Lebanese companies with compatible business partners in the United States and elsewhere
• Committing to an investment of $10 million in the Lebanese private sector over three years
• Donating two Cisco TelePresence units to the Lebanese government to facilitate communications among government agencies and, eventually, with other governments
• Establishing a pilot for five connected communities in Alma Al Chaab, Baalbek, Bint Jbeil, Bourj al Barajne, and Nabatiye in partnership with Mercy Corps, the Professional Computer Association, and the Ministry of Social Affairs
• Providing funding through the Cisco Foundation and employee contributions totaling more than $870,000 to support the rebuilding of homes and schools