As of July 31, 2023, the Lebanese Central Bank’s (BDL) external liquidity was $8.573 billion, in addition to the market value of the Euro bond portfolio. These amounts do not include the value of the gold reserves.
On the other hand, BDL foreign commitments total $1.27 billion, which are expected to be paid off upon maturity using external liquidity.
The BDL balance sheet figures were published in a press release at midday on Thursday.
The document states that “Following the handover of minutes (which took place on August 1, 2023) during the transfer of power between the former Governor (Riad Salameh) and the acting Governor (Wassim Mansouri), and on the basis of the Lebanese Central Bank’s accounts as of July 31, 2023, the acting Governor proceeded to audit these accounts, with the support of the relevant departments and the BDL internal audit department, to determine the BDL’s external liquidity balances and its external commitments.”
Wassim Mansouri also reiterated his commitment to comply with the decision of the Central Council of the Lebanese Central Bank, which prohibits the use of the banks’ minimum reserves with the BDL. Mansouri reaffirmed his and the Central Council’s determination to not use the reserves of the BDL “except to fulfill its external obligations” (as mentioned in the table below) and its role in the implementation of Circular 158.
| External Liquid Assets | In USD million |
| Cash Reserves | 1530 |
| Current Accounts | 3114 |
| Term Deposits | 3711 |
| Financial Assets | 218 |
| Total | 8573 |
| Market value of the Euro bond portfolio | 387 |
| External Liquid Liabilities | In USD million |
| Public Sector Accounts | 275 (fresh dollars) |
| Banking Sector Accounts | 8 (fresh dollars) |
| Usable DRS (Depository Receipts System) Balance | 125 |
| Open Documentary Credits by BDL | 96 |
| Loans to Arab Entities | 660 |
| Arab Deposits | 106 |
| Total | 1270 |
