AN OPPORTUNITY TO MITIGATE CORRUPTION

Abstract

This thesis aims to contribute to the literature on transparency in the oil and gas sector in Lebanon. It examines the role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) – namely, the Lebanese Oil and Gas Initiative, Lebanese Transparency Association-No corruption, and Lebanese Center for Policy Studies – in mitigating corruption risks. It also studies the key petroleum legislation related to countering corruption, and discusses the debate pertaining to the establishment of a National Oil Company and a Sovereign Wealth Fund. While the Oil and Gas sector can be a savior of Lebanon’s socioeconomic crisis in the long run, it can also be a resource curse and lead to further corruption if not well-managed. The thesis concludes that building a transparent sector requires the government to establish an overall vision for the petroleum sector, develop policies related to the technical and financial management sides, and accentuate the monitoring role of CSOs against corruption and mismanagement.