The American company Oracle and Lebanon’s Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence, Kamal Shehadeh, recently signed an undisclosed strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) to train 50,000 people from the private and public sector in different technologies.
While the agreement was framed as a “free grant” to suggest an achievement for the ministry, it comes with its own set of unique challenges to Lebanon’s digital sovereignty.
The agreement’s relevance to Lebanon’s digital strategy also remains unclear, especially since most of Oracle’s training focuses exclusively on the products and software produced by Oracle itself.
The Minister said at the signing ceremony of the memorandum on December 8th, 2025 that this agreement aims to “train and qualify 50,000 Lebanese participants over the next five years, as a free grant in the fields of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, as part of a comprehensive national program to build digital capacities and make Lebanon a country ready for the age of artificial intelligence.”
Following accusations of handing over data to Oracle, Shehadeh explained that the agreement with Oracle “does not include data exchange, or access to public sector information,” confirming that it is “limited to the training of 50,000 Lebanese staff members from the public and private sectors on skills in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and resource planning.”
While this news might be reassuring, the deal in itself represents an important step for Lebanon’s digital infrastructure development, crucial to developing the skills of Lebanese personnel in this field. A closer look at the deal reveals significant challenges.
An infrastructure subject to US laws
The most prominent challenge posed by this agreement with Oracle is the adoption of new, American-sourced infrastructure for training and business purposes. The issue is not limited to the risks of privacy violation, but includes the adoption and use of an entire foreign infrastructure that Oracle offers to train us on for free. This infrastructure will serve as the backbone of Lebanon’s digital infrastructure, hosting and safeguarding national data.
The Lebanese government’s justification that the data will not be shared with Oracle is an unrealistic argument, because the data will be created, developed, and stored within its software, which nullifies any actual ability to protect it.
In addition, the company is entirely subject to American laws and regulations, which carries potential risks, such as the removal of certain content or the cessation of associated services and updates.
Without assurances from Minister Shehadeh regarding the handling of this data, we cannot be confident that our information is adequately protected.
A forced sale of Oracle products?
The use of the term “free grant” in the memorandum reveals a weakness in the Lebanese government’s understanding of tech companies’ operations.
As has been the case since 2010, “free use” often means this: “If you are not paying, you’re not the customer; you’re the product being sold,” which means all of our data can and will be used under the pretext of free use.
What is alarming is that the Lebanese government, even after 15 years, still shows enthusiasm and quick approval merely upon hearing of a “free grant.”
Grave future consequences may follow this deal, as Lebanon may become permanently in need of Oracle to resume its services, whether related to maintenance, updates, or other services. The cost of these services will be exorbitant for a country going through a difficult economic situation. Were these matters mentioned in the agreement?
A New Market for Oracle?
Oracle has recently witnessed a noticeable decline in its finances due to the failure of its AI projects. This reality has traditionally pushed tech companies to seek expansion and spread in smaller countries and markets, especially in the Global South, with the aim of collecting more valuable data to return to competition.
Towards the European model
Lebanon needs a clear, comprehensive strategy for the technology sector, beginning with the mandates of ministries and regulatory bodies, defining priorities for technology infrastructure including data governance, management, and realistic cybersecurity measures suited to its context—rather than rushing to accept any deal, while also promoting awareness of privacy protection across all public and private institutions.
Grants and initiatives should not be accepted uncritically. Each must be assessed for strategic value, security risks, privacy and data protection standards, as well as the company’s record, the jurisdiction it is subject to, and the law that governs it.
The Lebanese government should also think carefully about how the global technology and artificial intelligence market is formed, especially with the intensifying competition between the United States and China and Europe’s shift towards open-source software.
We can benefit from global experiences to improve the digital environment and fortify our own digital sovereignty, while developing strong laws for privacy and digital work protection, as European countries have done.
European countries have become aware of these risks and have taken measures to protect their digital sovereignty, relying on two main tracks. First, they have developed their own software. They have also shifted from relying on major American tech companies towards open-source software within the framework of an established strategy for years.
To support this orientation, Europe allocated about 200 billion dollars and enacted internal laws aimed at controlling American technology companies as much as possible and protecting the privacy of European citizens.
Their seriousness was proven when they fined multibillionaire Elon Musk and his company, X, a few weeks ago more than 120 million euros for violating the Digital Services Act (DSA). This would not have been possible without the strong European legal framework guarding data protection, namely the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the DSA).
In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, progress can no longer rely on the foreign exploitation of our data. It must be built on strategic, well-calculated foundations that align with the needs of both the nation and its residents, while steadfastly working to safeguard privacy and protect residents’ rights.
Featured image: Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence, Kamal Shehadeh, during the signing ceremony with Oracle – National News Agency (NNA).
