This is Beirut - Banque du Liban

BDL’s Gold Reserves Surge by 41.6% Year-on-Year

This is Beirut , 2025-05-10 15:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Central Bank of Lebanon Banque du Liban

According to its latest balance sheet, Lebanon’s Central Bank (BDL) reported total assets of $93.86 billion as of the end of April 2025, reflecting a modest 0.33% year-on-year increase. This comes in the wake of BDL’s adoption of a new official exchange rate of 89,500 LBP/USD on February 1, 2024. A standout figure in the report is the sharp ...

Karim Souhaid: The Banking Reform Law Undermines the Independence of the Central Bank

This is Beirut, 2025-05-07 21:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Lebanon BDL Banque du Liban Economy Parliament

Presenting a 33-page document containing substantial remarks on the banking reform bill submitted by the government, the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Karim Souhaid, attended a session of the Parliamentary Finance and Budget Committee held mid-week. The session was chaired by MP Ibrahim Kanaan and attended by 40 parliamentarians, along ...

Farewell to Wads of Cash: Lebanon Unveils Banknotes of LBP 500,000 and 1 Million

Christiane Tager, 2025-04-28 22:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Banks Banque du Liban Central Bank of Lebanon

After nearly six years of economic and financial turmoil, Lebanon has taken a long-anticipated step by issuing higher-denomination banknotes. Last Thursday, the Lebanese Parliament approved a draft law presented by MP Ziad Hawat, after nearly two years of legislative wrangling, granting the Banque du Liban (BDL) permission to issue notes of LBP ...

In Washington, Lebanon’s Central Bank Governor Calls for a Structured National Recovery

This is Beirut, 2025-04-24 11:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Banks Washington International Monetary Fund Banque du Liban

During the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington, Banque du Liban Governor Karim Souhaid delivered a stark and candid assessment of Lebanon’s critical condition. Speaking to an audience of international experts and policymakers, Souhaid described a country “at a crossroads—between fragility and ...

Morgan Ortagus and the Politics of Soft Power

This Is Beirut, 2025-04-05 15:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Banque du Liban Hamas Hezbollah Joseph Aoun Lebanese Forces

The US President's Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, Morgan Ortagus, appears to be pursuing a policy of soft power diplomacy in Lebanon, where she began an official two-day mission yesterday. Arriving in Beirut on Friday, the American envoy held talks on Saturday morning with President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Speaker ...

Judges and BDL Governor Take Oath at Baabda Palace

This Is Beirut, 2025-04-03 15:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Banks Banque du Liban Central Bank of Lebanon Joseph Aoun

Three newly appointed judges and Lebanon’s new Central Bank (BDL) governor took their oaths of office on Thursday at Baabda Palace before President Joseph Aoun. Judges Judge Jamal al-Hajjar, Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation and Vice President of the Supreme Judicial Council, was sworn in alongside Judge Youssef al-Jamil, President ...

The Ongoing Gold Rush

Liliane Mokbel, 2025-04-02 21:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Liban Banque du Liban Or Réserves

Gold prices continue to soar, drawing increased interest from investors and central banks worldwide. Since January 2025, the price of an ounce of gold has surged by 12%, fueling a surge in demand for the precious metal. This surge is driven by President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies and his pledge of “the mother of all trade ...

Wassim Mansouri Reflects on His Interim Leadership at the BDL

This is Beirut, 2025-03-25 22:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Banque du Liban Central Bank of Lebanon

As the Lebanese Cabinet under Nawaf Salam prepares to appoint a new governor for the Banque du Liban (BDL), assessments on Wassim Mansouri's interim tenure since August 2023 are mixed. Some view his actions as having preserved a degree of stability amidst unprecedented political and security crises, while others argue that the stability he has ...

‘Governance’ Dispute Persists as BDL Reserves Hit $10.746B

Maurice Matta, 2025-03-20 21:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Banque du Liban Governor Appointments

The Cabinet approved on Thursday the administrative appointment mechanism, reaffirming ministers’ role in the process. Under the agreed framework, the relevant minister will propose a list of hors-cadre candidates, while the final decision rests with the Cabinet. Meanwhile, the appointment of a new Bank of Lebanon (BDL) governor remains ...

IMF Mission Concludes Meetings in Beirut

Maurice Matta, 2025-03-13 22:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

International Monetary Fund Banks Joseph Aoun Banque du Liban Washington

Finance Minister Yassine Jaber made reassuring remarks regarding negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following an extensive meeting held at the Ministry of Finance with the IMF mission. During the meeting, Jaber affirmed that the elimination or partial deduction of bank deposits is a sovereign and national decision, ...

Jaber: No Increase in Customs Fees or Taxes

This is Beirut, 2025-02-21 15:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Iran Beirut Banque du Liban Custom fees

Finance Minister Yassine Jaber assured that there will be no increase in customs fees or taxes, while emphasizing that the state will ensure the collection of all its dues. Jaber emphasized that one of the prerequisites for an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is combating customs fraud. He added that the state must strengthen ...

BDL Raises Withdrawal Limits of Circulars 158 and 166

This is Beirut, 2025-02-19 15:50 - Reading : less than a minute