BEIRUT, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri said on Friday that he aims to turn Lebanon into a regional technology and innovation hub.

"We will invest in our human resources to create skills capable of growing technology companies," he explained.

Hariri made the remarks during the opening ceremony of the ChangeMaker Festival held at Grand Serail.

The festival, running from Sept. 7-9, will include a variety of events to promote innovation efforts in Lebanon.

Lebanon has launched many initiatives to promote new ideas in technology, entrepreneurship and creativity, Hariri said.

Investment in technology companies in Lebanon reached 180 million U.S. dollars in the past five years, up from fewer than 10 million dollars in 2013 to more than 50 million dollars in 2017, he noted.

According to the prime minister, his government has created a ventures fund valued at 50 million dollars to invest in technology companies.