Karim Souhaid, Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL), announced Tuesday that the BDL, in coordination with the Ministers of Finance and Justice, will draw up terms of reference for an external financial and judicial audit of all beneficiaries of the basic goods support program since October 17, 2019. The initiative will be launched through a public tender in line with Law No. 244/2021.
The audit, to be conducted by a specialized firm, will review previous governments’ support programs, fund transfers to foreign accounts, and state expenditures between 2019 and 2023. It will also aim to identify, recover, and rectify any illegal payments, misuse of public funds, or abuse of authority linked to the support operations.
All firms with expertise in judicial audits for states, central banks, or public institutions will be able to participate via the public procurement platform.
A BDL team, working alongside the ministries, will oversee the terms of reference to ensure that all aspects of the project are thoroughly and accurately addressed. Souhaid emphasized that this cooperation is crucial to restoring confidence in the banking system and ensuring transparency and coordination in handling key financial sector issues, from accountability for questionable payments to the recovery of deposits.
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