This is Beirut - Banque du Liban

Cutting Off Hezbollah’s Iranian Lifeline

Liliane Mokbel, 10/11 16:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Hezbollah Beirut International Airport Banque du Liban Central Bank of Lebanon Gulf

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

This is Beirut, 04/11 18:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Banks Banque du Liban Central Bank of Lebanon

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

Johnny Kortbawi, 24/10 15:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Banks Banque du Liban Hezbollah Naim Qassem Cash

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

This is Beirut, 02/10 16:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Banque du Liban budget dollar

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

This is Beirut, 29/09 14:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Hassan Nasrallah Lebanese Forces Amal Banque du Liban Parliament

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

This is Beirut, 26/09 11:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Banque du Liban Riad Salameh

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

This is Beirut, 17/09 11:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Banque du Liban Lebanese Army

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

Liliane Mokbel, 12/09 15:40 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Lebanon Central Bank of Lebanon Banks Banque du Liban economy BDL

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 ...

Banque du Liban Bans Inflow of Funds Linked to Sanctioned Entities

This is Beirut, 02/09 09:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Banque du Liban Washington OFAC Sanctions

On Tuesday, the Banque du Liban (BDL) issued Circular No. 170, banning the direct or indirect entry of funds linked to Lebanese organizations subject to international sanctions, especially those imposed by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The central bank cautioned that permitting such financial flows could endanger the ties ...

Khalaf: Toward Realistic Solutions in 2026

This is Beirut, 25/08 13:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Association of Banks in Lebanon Banque du Liban Fadi Khalaf ANKURA

In his monthly editorial, “Toward Realistic Solutions in 2026,” Secretary-General of the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL), Fadi Khalaf, stressed that Lebanese banks intend to play an active role in this critical stage of exiting the crisis. To support this effort, they have engaged the international firm ANKURA to assist in the reform ...

BDL Takes Action: Ban on Transactions with Al-Qard Al-Hassan & co.

This is Beirut, 15/07 14:50 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Banks Banque du Liban Central Bank of Lebanon

The circular (No. 170) published by the Banque du Liban, accompanied by Basic Decision No. 13335, marks a decisive turning point in regulating the Lebanese financial sector. By formally banning banks and financial institutions from any relationship with unauthorized entities, particularly the association Al-Qard Al-Hassan, the Banque du Liban is ...

Parliamentary Subcommittee Advances Banking Reform Bill

This is Beirut, 14/07 17:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Banks Ibrahim Kanaan Banque du Liban Yassin Jaber

The parliamentary subcommittee tasked with drafting the long-awaited banking reform bill made significant headway on Monday, as lawmakers inched closer to adopting several key provisions aimed at revamping the financial sector. Chaired by MP Ibrahim Kanaan, the session was attended by Minister of Finance Yassine Jaber, a number of MPs and Central ...

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