The Governor of Lebanon’s Central Bank (BDL), Karim Souhaid, held a series of high-level meetings in Washington with officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), according to a statement issued by his press office on Thursday.
Souhaid was accompanied by Deputy Governors Salim Shahine and Gaby Shnouzian, along with the Chairman of the Banking Control Commission, Mazen Soueid. The delegation met with senior IMF officials, including Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department, and Nigel Clarke, the Fund’s Deputy Managing Director.
Discussions focused primarily on the BDL’s proposed plan to restructure Lebanon’s banking sector, a central component of ongoing efforts to stabilize the country’s financial system amid a prolonged economic crisis.
The statement noted that Souhaid is also scheduled to meet with White House economic advisers and officials from the US Treasury Department to discuss cooperation on combating money laundering and terrorist financing, as part of broader international efforts to enhance transparency in Lebanon’s financial sector.
The BDL described the talks with the IMF as “constructive,” citing “satisfactory progress” toward reaching an agreement on the general framework for banking sector restructuring. Follow-up discussions are expected to continue after the Washington visit.
Governor Souhaid also expressed appreciation for the Lebanese authorities’ support and the IMF’s understanding of the reform measures being implemented to address Lebanon’s financial crisis and lay the groundwork for economic recovery.
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