International Monetary Fund

The Reconstruction of War-Torn Areas in Lebanon: A Complex and Uncertain Equation

The end of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel raises a critical question for the Lebanese: who will bear the financial responsibility for rebuilding the villages and cities devastated by the conflict? In a country already mired in an unprecedented economic and political crisis, options are both limited and complex. Several actors could ...

The IMF Raises Its 2023 Growth Forecast for Lebanon's GDP

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised its 2023 GDP forecast for Lebanon, now estimating it at $24 billion, up from $16.2 billion in its June 2023 report. This upward revision reflects the adoption of a new methodology for calculating national accounts, leading to a 50% increase in the estimated GDP value. The update is part of the ...

2025 Budget: A Looming Fiscal Crisis

With spending on the rise and revenues falling short of expectations, the 2025 budget proposal is now effectively obsolete. The government must act swiftly to withdraw it from Parliament, where it was submitted on time, to prevent a deepening crisis. Why is a crisis inevitable? The current draft budget relies on unrealistic revenue projections, ...

Trump's Economic Policies and Lebanon's Dollar Crisis

While the dollar’s value is primarily shaped by US domestic factors, its fluctuations continue to ripple through the global economy. A 2023 International Monetary Fund (IMF) study found that the negative impact of a strong dollar tends to last around two and a half years in emerging markets, compared to just one year in developed economies. The ...

Global Public Debt to Exceed $100tn Says IMF

Global public debt is expected to reach a record $100 trillion this year, the IMF said Tuesday, warning that the fiscal outlook for many countries may be even "worse than expected." In its latest report on fiscal policy, the International Monetary Fund said it expects global public debt to hit 93 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP) ...

Sri Lanka Announce First Elections Since Economic Crisis

Sri Lanka's first presidential elections since an unprecedented economic crisis spurred widespread unrest will be held in September, the election commission said Friday. The election will be the first test of the public mood since the height of the 2022 downturn, which caused months of food, fuel and medicine shortages across the island ...

Tunisia to Hold Presidential Election on October 6

Tunisia will hold a presidential election on October 6, the office of President Kais Saied announced Tuesday, though he has not indicated if he will seek a new five-year term after his 2019 election. Saied, a constitutional specialist, took full control of the country in 2021, ruling by decree after dismissing his prime minister and parliament, ...

IMF and World Distraught by Middle East Instability

The IMF and World Bank expressed their fears over the repercussions of  instability in the Middle East. The war in Gaza and the Houthi's attacks in the Red Sea are jeopardizing the global economy. The IMF and World Bank warned on Monday that the Gaza war and the related attacks on shipping though the Red Sea pose threats to the global ...

Red Sea Container Shipping Down 30% Over Attacks

The International Monetary Fund announced on Wednesday that container shipping through the Red Sea has decreased by nearly one-third this year due to ongoing attacks by Yemen's Houthis. Container shipping through the Red Sea has dropped by nearly one-third this year as attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels continue, the International Monetary Fund ...