Economy

Syrian Migrants: Lebanon is ‘the Biggest Contributor’
Syrian Migrants: Lebanon is ‘the Biggest Contributor’

Lebanon is the "biggest contributor" in the issue of illegal Syrian migrants settled within its borders. Since the 2011 onset of the Syrian war, the country has shouldered a significant burden: the cost of hosting this community is estimated to be over $55 billion. Amid the multidimensional crisis that unfolded in 2019, Lebanon is buckling under ...

Exports Are Lagging Way Behind
Exports Are Lagging Way Behind

In terms of exports, the situation is not exactly at its best and sarcastic remarks are already flying around: “Why would one even expect things to go well? Why should this economic sector fair any different when all sectors, and the entire country, are struggling to thrive and overcome the economic crisis?” The answer lies in the fact that, ...

BDL’s New Currency Exchange Platform: Updates!
BDL’s New Currency Exchange Platform: Updates!

The Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL) is actively working on launching the new official platform that will provide the exchange rate of the dollar against the Lebanese pound in the market. This initiative, developed in partnership with Bloomberg, seeks not only to replace Sayrafa but also to ensure transparency in the exchange rate. Originally ...

Khalil: '2025 Budget Is on Schedule'
Khalil: '2025 Budget Is on Schedule'

Caretaker Finance Minister Youssef Khalil affirmed on Tuesday that his Ministry is committed to submitting the 2025 budget within the timeframe stipulated by the Constitution. In a statement, he urged all public bodies, councils, institutions and funds benefiting from financial contributions included in the budget, to submit their draft budgets ...

EDL Employees on a Three-Day Strike
EDL Employees on a Three-Day Strike

The Electricité du Liban (EDL) employees' union declared a warning strike on Tuesday, closing all centers from Wednesday, May 8, until Friday, May 10. The decision was taken following a meeting at which a series of employees' financial entitlements were reviewed. In a statement, the union railed against the management, accusing it of ...

Director of World Bank Operations Visits Lebanon to Advance Reforms
Director of World Bank Operations Visits Lebanon to Advance Reforms

The World Bank (WB) Managing Director of Operations, Anna Bjerde, has embarked on a two-day visit to Lebanon, aimed at engaging with stakeholders regarding the latest socio-economic developments in the country. This visit underscores the World Bank’s unwavering support for Lebanon during these challenging times. Accompanying her is Ousmane ...

The FATF Has Yet to Speak Out
The FATF Has Yet to Speak Out

With porous land borders and a cash-based economy steadily growing, Lebanon undoubtedly deserves to be blacklisted by the FATF. But will it be? The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will hold its last meeting for its annual exercise in June, which starts in July each year and ends in June of the following year. Lebanon is awaiting its verdict, ...

The Industrialists and the Whimsical EDL Invoices
The Industrialists and the Whimsical EDL Invoices

Industries have watched their electricity bills skyrocket, yet they're not seeing a sufficient increase in power supply! They’re witnessing what they call a grinding “bazaar” that has unfolded since the introduction of the new billing system and the installation of smart meters. Invoices crisscross, accumulate, multiply... Is Électricité ...

Bank Audi: Economic Recession Blamed on the War
Bank Audi: Economic Recession Blamed on the War

Bank Audi has published its economic report for the first quarter of 2024, highlighting that economic and monetary conditions indicate a recession in the real economy, attributed to the repercussions of the war on Lebanon's southern border. However, the LBP has remained stable against the dollar, offering a degree of monetary stability despite ...

Gold Price: Is a Trend Reversal Pointing in the Horizon?
Gold Price: Is a Trend Reversal Pointing in the Horizon?

The fundamental principle of asset diversification remains unshakable despite the speculative fever surrounding a short-term surge in gold prices, with experts predicting a peak of $2,800 per ounce by the end of 2024. Lebanese investors have turned to gold since the onset of the multidimensional crisis in October 2019, even though the yellow ...

Lebanon Under Mandate(s)
Lebanon Under Mandate(s)

Some countries require caretaking. They need someone else to manage not only an exceptional situation, but also their day-to-day life. This pattern recalls the period of mandates, all born after the First or Second World War – initiatives meant to build a state that wasn't there, or to organize a country that was barely so. Our French ...

Hamiye: GPS Jamming Jeopardizes Lebanese Airspace
Hamiye: GPS Jamming Jeopardizes Lebanese Airspace

Caretaker Public Works Minister Ali Hamiye raised the alarm on Wednesday about GPS signal jamming, which is putting civil aviation at risk. Speaking at the meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) at Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, Hamiye pointed out that “the jamming is carried out by the Israeli Army continuously, ...