Embassy of Lebanon in Austria

27/09/2026

Closing remarks of H.E. Permanent Representative Ambassador Cynthia Chidiac at the side event on "Women's Participation and Leadership in Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, held during the 15th UN Crime Congress in Abu Dhabi.

27/09/2026

From the Closing Remarks of Ambassador Cynthia Chidiac in the side-event on Women’s Participation and Leadership in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice organized by the German Foreign Ministry with the support of the UNODC Office of the Executive Director/Gender Team, co-sponsored by the European Union:

"Women’s participation in security and criminal justice is not peripheral to effective institutions. It is part of what makes institutions effective".

"Our institutions cannot afford to draw on only part of the talent, experience and perspective available to them".

"Women’s full, equal and meaningful participation is first and foremost a matter of rights. But it is also a matter of institutional strength. Institutions that reflect the societies they serve are better equipped to understand them, to earn their trust and ultimately to protect them".

"A young woman entering a police force, a border agency or a criminal justice institution should not have to wonder whether leadership is open to her. She should be able to see the path to it".

"The question today is whether our institutions are doing enough to ensure that women can enter them, thrive in them, shape them and lead them".

"Because every decision about recruitment, training, assignments and promotion can either preserve an old barrier or open a new door".

"Our responsibility is to keep opening those doors".

25/09/2026

24/09/2026

Women in the command room, or stuck behind the admin desk?

In many police and justice systems, women still face barriers to frontline roles: border control, financial investigations, counter-terrorism, command positions. The cost is operational: less community trust, weaker victim identification, narrower investigative reach.

On 27 September, 3-4 PM (UAE time), at the 15th UN Crime Congress in Abu Dhabi, people closing that gap coming together:
🔹 Lt. Gen. Ros Chansophea, National Police of Cambodia
🔹 Sicily M. Gatiti, Commissioner of Police, Kenya
🔹 Francisca Dommetieru Ziniel, Port Control Unit, Tema, Ghana
🔹 Stephanie B., INTERPOL
🔹 Carmen Corbin, UNODC Eastern Africa

With opening and closing remarks from H.E. Rüdiger Bohn, Dr. Amal Qambar, H.E. Carl Hallergård and H.E. Cynthia Chidiac, moderated by Cristina Iampieri, UNODC.

Expect practical insight on what actually shifts recruitment, retention and promotion, and how gender-diverse expertise sharpens cross-border investigations.

Organized by Auswärtiges Amt, European Union at the International Organisations in Vienna and the UNODC - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Gender Team.

📍 Join online: https://shorturl.at/t5wn2

Organized crime doesn't stand still, and neither can the institutions fighting it.

16/09/2026

National statement of Lebanon at the IAEA 70th General Conference delivered by H.E. Ambassador Cynthia Chidiac:

• Nuclear science and technology have a direct impact on people's lives, from cancer diagnosis and treatment to water protection, food safety and environmental preservation.
• Investing in skilled professionals, reliable services and sustainable national capabilities strengthens healthcare, resilience and human dignity.
• Expanding opportunities for young professionals and women in nuclear science, medicine and technology is essential to developing the next generation of national expertise.
• Lebanon remains firmly committed to the NPT's three pillars-disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful uses-supports the IAEA safeguards mandate and peaceful nuclear rights, and reiterates its support for a Middle East free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction.
• The IAEA demonstrates the value of science-based multilateral cooperation; the shared responsibility is both to advance nuclear science and to ensure that its benefits reach those who need them most.

16/09/2026

"Dans un monde marqué par les divisions et l'incertitude, l'Agence Internationale de l’Énergie Atomique nous rappelle ce que la coopération multilatérale peut accomplir lorsque la science est mise au service de l'humanité. C'est pourquoi notre responsabilité ne consiste pas seulement à faire progresser cette science, mais aussi à veiller à ce que ses bénéfices parviennent à ceux qui en ont le plus besoin."

"In a world marked by division and uncertainty, the International Atomic Energy Agency reminds us of what multilateral cooperation can achieve when science is placed at the service of humanity. That is why our responsibility lies not only in advancing this science but also in ensuring that its benefits reach those who need them most."

15/09/2026

The Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the United Nations and International Organizations in Vienna and Permanent Representative Ambassador Cynthia Chidiac had the honor of welcoming Minister of Labor Dr. Mohamad Haidar, who addressed the IAEA Scientific Forum, "Rays of Hope: Delivering on the Promise of Cancer Care," held on the margins of the 70th IAEA General Conference.

Minister Haidar's participation reflects Lebanon's longstanding partnership with the IAEA and its commitment to advancing access to cancer diagnosis and treatment. It also highlights the important contribution of Lebanese medical expertise and institutions to strengthening cancer care across the region through training, knowledge exchange and international cooperation.

14/09/2026

H.E. Permanent Representative Ambassador Cynthia Chidiac headed Lebanon's delegation to the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), alongside Dr. Bilal Nsouli, Director of the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission.

The General Conference provides an important platform to reaffirm Lebanon's commitment to cooperation with the IAEA and to the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology for sustainable development.

26/08/2026

I was pleased to participate in the symbolic 829-step walk held at the Vienna International Centre ahead of the International Day Against Nuclear Tests.

The 829 steps represent 29 August, the date on which the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site in Kazakhstan was closed in 1991 and serve as a powerful reminder of the devastating legacy of nuclear testing.

Lebanon remains committed to advancing nuclear disarmament, bringing an end to nuclear test explosions, and promoting a safer and more peaceful world for all.


Credits: CTBTO/Pablo Mehlhorn

11/08/2026

Delighted and honoured to meet Ms. Monica Juma, Director-General of UNOV and Executive Director of UNODC. We discussed ways to further strengthen Lebanon's partnership with UNODC across its mandate and deepen our cooperation in areas of shared priority. I thanked Ms. Juma and her team for UNODC's invaluable work in Lebanon and beyond, and reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to our continued partnership.