International Monetary Fund

Divisions Stall Parliamentary Talks on Beirut Municipal Council Parity

Sectarian divides once again paralyzed legislative work in Lebanon, as Parliament failed to reach any concrete decision on the issue of Christian-Muslim parity within Beirut’s municipal council. The matter has now been referred to a parliamentary committee for further examination. During a plenary session held on Thursday evening, Lebanese ...

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

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 ...

‘Haircut:’ The Sharp Edge of Financial Cuts

Just when we thought we’d seen it all in the Lebanese saga of economic collapse, the government rolled out a new episode—one so twisted it makes a Netflix series look like a documentary on quantum physics. A draft banking reform law, rushed through cabinet, casually proposes placing the burden of the collapse on depositors and local ...

Saudi Arabia: Reform and Disarmament a Priority in Lebanon

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is closely observing Lebanon’s progress on two critical fronts: comprehensive reform and the disarmament of Hezbollah. The recent visit of Saudi envoy Yazid bin Farhan to Beirut underscored Riyadh’s insistence on meaningful developments in both areas. According to Lebanese officials who met with the envoy, bin ...

Council of Ministers Approves Draft Law on Banking Sector Restructuring

The Council of Ministers approved the draft law for reforming and restructuring the banking sector in a cabinet session headed by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, held at the Grand Serail on Saturday. The Council examined ten clauses from the draft law for banking sector reform, which includes 39 clauses in total. After the session, Minister of ...

Before Restructuring Banks, the Government Must Acknowledge the Systemic Crisis

Lebanon’s Cabinet approved on Tuesday the statement of justification for the draft law on the reorganization of banks, with a follow-up session scheduled for Friday to finalize the text. The initiative is framed by two core principles the government says it upholds: safeguarding depositors’ rights and revitalizing the banking sector so it can ...

US Envoy Calls for Hezbollah’s Disarmament to Secure Lebanon’s Future

In an interview with Al Arabiya News anchor Hadley Gamble, US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus urged for the complete disarmament of Hezbollah. She compared the Iran-backed group to a “cancer” that Lebanon must excise if it hopes to recover. During a diplomatic visit to the United Arab Emirates, Ortagus emphasized that ...

Finance Committee Postpones Decision on Lebanon's IMF Contribution

The parliamentary Finance and Budget Committee, chaired by MP Ibrahim Kanaan, has reaffirmed its commitment to “positive cooperation” with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). However, it decided to postpone its decision on increasing Lebanon's contribution to the institution by $423 million. The committee is waiting to consult with Finance ...

US Senators Back Lebanese Army in Curbing Hezbollah

US Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), ranking members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a joint statement on Friday calling on Lebanon’s new government to seize the moment to reduce Hezbollah’s influence and implement crucial economic reforms. “We are at a critical moment in Lebanon,” the senators ...

Salam Says There Will Be No Bank Deposit Haircuts

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated on Friday that “there will be no suppression of bank deposits,” and that he would “cross out the term ‘suppression of deposits,’” in a meeting at the Serail with a delegation from the Council of Lebanese Executives in Saudi Arabia. He added that his government’s objective is be to “return” the ...