PART II. INSTITUTIONALIZATION – THE NATIONAL CYBER SECURITY AND INFORMATION SYSTEM AGENCY (NCSIA) The security of information systems is of crucial importance to a wide variety of organizations and actors, both public and private, domestically and internationally. Whether in the political, diplomatic, economic, or military field, Cyber Security is today a collective concern and a national priority. Indeed, Cyber Threats and Cyber Attacks are on the rise and they can inflict serious damage to the interests of the Nation. Faced with this risk, Lebanon, like many other countries around the world, must have a strong and reliable national computer defense system. To achieve this goal, the National Cyber Security Committee has concluded that the creation of a national agency for the security of information systems is a necessary and essential step to facilitate a coordinated and proactive approach to managing Cyber Security problems and to track the growth and diversity of Cyber Threats and to robustly address their increasing sophistication. The creation of a Lebanese agency reporting directly to the Prime Minister and attached to the General Secretariat of the Higher Council of Defense is a crucial step in the response of the Lebanese State to major current and future challenges in the field of Cyber Security. The NCISA shall perform its mandate in close coordination with the concerned ministries and LEA, without conflicting with their respective legal and mandated roles. The NCISA will enable Lebanon to centralize and coordinate decisions at the level of the various state services in the field of Cyber Security, and thereby increase the country’s resilience to digital threats. Part II of the Strategy gives a detailed description of the NCISA's role and functions and the different sectors in which it will operate. June 2019 LEBANON NATIONAL CYBER SECURITY STRATEGY 39