Banque du Liban

Financial Gap Threatens Depositors Amid Government Inaction

Amid ongoing government debates over the draft law addressing the financial shortfall and the fate of deposits, concern is growing within economic and banking circles over the plan’s potential direction. Each new draft leak highlights a deep disagreement—over how losses should be allocated and the extent of the burden the state must shoulder ...

Yassine Jaber: Your Own Words Confirm the Crisis Is Systemic!

Finance Minister Yassine Jaber’s recent statements stand out for his comparison of the Lebanese financial crisis with those in countries such as Greece, Cyprus, and Portugal. In this comparison, he is once again off the mark. In fact, Cyprus experienced only a conventional banking crisis, while Greece and Portugal faced financial crises ...

Could the IMF’s debt plan for Lebanon unintentionally bolster Hezbollah?

The International Monetary Fund risks unintentionally reviving a war-weakened Hezbollah by insisting Lebanon push heavier losses onto the banking sector than critics say is necessary — a move they argue would entrench the cash economy that Iran’s terror-designated proxy thrives on. At issue is how the IMF wants Lebanon’s ...

Cutting Off Hezbollah’s Iranian Lifeline

The time has come to deprive Hezbollah of its footing and halt its systematic effort to dismantle what remains of the Lebanese state. John Hurley, the Under Secretary of the U.S. Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, stated last week that there is now a favorable opening in Lebanon to disrupt Iranian funding to Hezbollah and exert ...

BDL Launches Judicial Audit of Payments Since 2019

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 ...

Sheikh Naim’s Clash with the Formal Economy

One of Hezbollah’s most pressing challenges, beyond its ongoing military decline and Israel’s persistent targeting of its depots and stockpiles, is its financial crisis. The depletion of resources has left the group unable to engage with its population as it once did to sustain its alternative economy. A clear example is Sheikh Naim ...

Banks: Khalaf Sees 2026 as a Key Year for Crisis Resolution

The Secretary General of the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL), Fadi Khalaf, believes that 2026 could mark the beginning of implementing definitive solutions and relaunching the banking sector on a stronger footing. This milestone, he argues, would also allow depositors to recover their rights and help restore confidence in financial ...

Parliamentary Session Descends into Chaos over Expatriate Voting and Raoucheh Dispute

The parliamentary session that convened at 11 AM on Monday was adjourned prematurely, with only 9 of the 17 scheduled agenda items addressed. The session was marred by political tensions, as several MPs withdrew in protest at the presidency’s refusal to include the issue of expatriate voting in the upcoming May 2026 legislative elections. Their ...

Former BDL Governor Riad Salameh Released on Reduced Bail

Former Central Bank (BDL) Governor Riad Salameh was released on Friday evening. He was discharged from Bhannes Hospital after completing all legal formalities, with his legal representative, lawyer Mark Habka, overseeing the release under tight security supervision. Habka pointed out that “Salameh's release marks a new chapter in his ...

Retired Soldiers Protest: Roadblocks and Postponed Parliamentary Sessions

The situation returned to calm on Wednesday in downtown Beirut after former security forces veterans staged a protest in the morning. Following this, it was announced that a new cabinet meeting would be held later in the day to continue reviewing the draft budget. As part of their mobilization, protesters burned tires and blocked the road in the ...

BDL, Lebanon’s Anchor of Trust on the Path to Recovery

In a country where figures are often subject to interpretation and fiscal data remains scarce or unreliable, Lebanon’s Central Bank (BDL) seeks to reaffirm its role as a reference point for institutional investors and international markets. It also aims to provide citizens with clear benchmarks to better understand the rationale and direction ...