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On the 80th anniversary of Lebanon’s independence, Paris must end its foreign policy of cultivating Lebanese political factionalism.

Pity the nation that enters into an unwinnable war

Lebanon cannot afford a war with no end game, and neither can the world.

Lebanese State-Owned Enterprises: Navigating Reform and Recovery

A roadmap for state-owned enterprises reform in Lebanon, emphasizing transparency, good governance, and rejecting the controversial ‘Sovereign Fund’ to steer towards economic stability.

Flatline to Pulse: Prioritising Cost Recovery in Lebanon’s State-Owned Enterprises

Lebanon’s state-owned enterprises face challenges post-crisis, with the balance between cost-recovery and strategic privatisation key to fiscal health.

Exchange Rate Mis-Regulation: A Nation Short-Changed

The Lebanese financial crisis, driven by fiscal mismanagement and central bank interventions, has resulted in market distortions and multiple exchange rates, worsening economic disparities.

Onwards and Upwards? The Lira’s Treacherous Route Ahead

To restore stability and credibility, the government must reform the central bank’s governance, tighten fiscal policy, and ultimately execute a carefully managed float of the lira.

Currency Chaos: Lebanon’s Exchange Rate Policy

Assessing Lebanon’s exchange rate chaos: Sayrafa, monetary governance reforms, and the need for a managed float of the lira.

Sanction elites to stop Lebanon from becoming a failed state

Lebanon is four years into one of the worst financial crises in modern history, and in that time the country’s powerbrokers – the politicians, bankers and sectarian leaders – have been actively taking steps to speed the country’s descent into the abyss. To be clear: Lebanon’s dissolution will...

Crude and Green: Energy Giants Scoop Up Lebanon’s Oil, Wind and Solar

Oversight absent as TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy take over the energy sector.

Houses Without Homes: Beirut’s Affordable Housing Crisis

How decades of real estate ‘financialization’ have built a city few can afford to live in.

Broken Branches: Lebanon’s Disappearing Forests

Rapid urbanisation, illegal logging, and wildfires whittling away at country’s wooded areas.

Burnt Bulb: EDL Reforms Being Foiled From the Top

Electricity crisis set to worsen as caretaker energy minister stifles long awaited reforms.

Sayrafa Explained: How Lebanon’s Central Bank Quells Unrest by Subsidising Elites

“A weak and inefficient monetary tool”

Fanning the Flames: How Misinformation on Social Media Exacerbates Community Tensions

Social media enhances social connections on digital networks but has also facilitated the rapid dissemination of misinformation.

Crushed Ballot: Ending the Suppression of Lebanon’s Municipalities

Municipalities’ can reshape development and service provision in lebanon, if freed to represent their communities.

Public Disservice: Reforming Lebanon’s Regressive State Institutions

How politicians corrupted the civil service, and why now is the time for change.

Undermining Democracy: Lebanon’s Cabinet Violates Constitution To Protect Banking Elite

Lebanon’s cabinet violates constitution to protect banking elite.

Sign of the Times: The information that Tripolitans need to survive

Since the beginning of Lebanon’s financial collapse in 2019, access to information has become more critical than ever.

Red Tape: Syrian and Palestinian Doctors Blocked from Easing Lebanon’s Health Crisis

Displaced doctors could provide relief amid health worker shortages

‘They’ Have Names

The Lebanese have known since at least the 1960s that the banks run the country, but we have known this in the abstract. We have used the vague pronoun hineh, ‘them’, to describe these de factor rulers. But Lebanon is not ‘theirs’ and ‘they’ have a name, a face, bank accounts, and registered...

Cross Contamination: The Banking Interests Plaguing Public Office in Lebanon

Lebanon’s banks played a central role in driving the country into the financial catastrophe it has endured since 2019, and yet to date they have avoided legal sanction, regulatory reform, and efforts to have them bear their fair share of the financial burden. Where, one might ask, are the...

Spoiled Ballot: Elections Uncertain as Municipalities’ Mandates Set to End

Why Lebanon needs to hold local polls in May.

New EDL Tariffs: A Step Towards the Light or a Shot in the Dark?

Lebanon’s residents likely to keep paying for the chronic mismanagement of EDL.

Washed Away: Don’t (Just) Blame the Rain

Decades of poor urban planning and waste mismanagement catalysts for flash flooding in Lebanon.

Broken Bread: Lebanon’s Half-Baked Wheat Subsidy

Recent $150 million World Bank loan another step into the debt abyss without long-term food security strategy.

Rock Bottom: The Tax Reforms Lebanon Has to Have

The government’s inequitable revenue structures can no longer afford to keep burdening the poor while giving a free pass to those with the means to pay their share of taxes.

Uphill Battle: Lebanon’s Cholera Fight Not Over

Cholera likely to stay without serious reforms to Lebanese water sector

Lebanon’s 2022 Budget: Harsh Realities of Tax Reform and Government Intentions

Lebanon’s 2022 budget’s has a preference for regressive taxation, potentially shielding the wealthy while financially straining ordinary citizens.

Trick Not Treat: Lebanon’s banking secrecy law is more appearance than substance

Lebanon amends banking secrecy law to appease the IMF but leaves loopholes to protect politico-banking elite.

Bank Restructuring in Lebanon: Depositor Protection, Clawbacks, and Legal Loopholes

Addressing Lebanon’s banking turmoil through lirafication debates, accountability for large deposits, clawbacks, bankruptcy laws, and potential conflicts of interest in governance.

Rhetoric or Reform: Lebanon’s 2022 Financial Recovery Plan

Analyzing Lebanon’s 2022 Financial Recovery Plan, from its ambitious promises to critical flaws in depositor compensation, fund structure, wealth legitimacy checks, and the glaring lack of accountability.

Ministry of Finance Budget Circulars November – December 2022

Summary and analysis of circulars and decisions issued by the Ministry of Finance and Banque Du Liban from November to December 2022

Saade Chami’s Financial Reform Plan: Another Tool To Disregard Accountability

The Financial Recovery Plan appears to solve Lebanon’s financial crisis, but a closer look reveals it’s a tool to preserve elite interests at the expense of depositors’ savings.

Restructuring Lebanon’s Banking Sector And Financial System: A Long Way To Go

Lebanon’s draft laws aim to reshape its financial landscape, yet ambiguities may hinder complete restoration of confidence in the sector.

Short Circuits: Why Lebanon’s electricity sector is still broken

Infrastructure, political, and legal barriers to reforming Lebanon’s broken electricity sector.

Lebanon Bank Holdups, Who Is The Real Criminal?

Lebanon’s bank hold ups are the result of lawlessness created by banks, not desperate depositors.

The New Banking Secrecy Law: An Advance But Not A Victory

Lebanon’s updated banking secrecy law is progressing towards reform, yet riddled with ambiguities and potential for power abuse.

The Perfect Storm: Lebanon and European Countries Collude to Put Migrants at Risk

As the Lebanese political establishment tries to shift blame for sea migrant deaths, EU pushbacks, blockades, and backroom deals place migrants in greater danger

The Updated Banking Secrecy Law: A Step Forward with Lingering Loopholes and Challenges

Assessing Lebanon’s revised banking secrecy law and its progress, while pointing to its loopholes, need for independence, and effective enforcement mechanisms.

No More Fun and Games: Saving Lebanon’s Education System Before it’s Too Late

A complete rethink of Lebanon’s education sector could turn crisis into opportunity

Eternal Compromise: The Ambiguities of UNIFIL in Lebanon

Peacekeeping mission reading between the lines to keep the peace

Distributed Renewable Energy

The MOEW’s latest renewable energy draft law faces criticism for consolidating power, with experts pushing for reforms to decentralize the sector and break the EDL monopoly.

Lebanon’s water system is collapsing. A vital ally is needed.

The ongoing financial crisis is eroding the capacity for Lebanon’s most essential services to operate, risking new depths in the humanitarian crisis.

Constitutional Mayhem: No Government, No President

Lebanon is poised for executive-level disarray ahead of a presidential vacuum and caretaker cabinet.

Smoke And Mirrors: All that glitters is not (yet) gold with subsidized housing loan

Millions promised in housing funding would leave most vulnerable behind

Sex For The Few: The privileged economy of sex in Lebanon

How economics, state and sectarian forces keep sexual freedom out of reach for most Lebanese.

From Bail-out To Bail-in: Distribution Of Losses And Accountablity In Lebanon’s Financial Plan

Lebanon must transition from a depositor-funded bail-out to a just bail-in, holding those responsible for the financial crisis accountable and ensuring fair loss distribution through international standards and local laws.

Bogus Budget: Lebanon’s 2022 budget punishes the poor to protect the rich

By kicking the can down the road on comprehensive reform, the 2022 budget is just another power grab by the establishment.

Lopsided Fallout: The Crisis of Financial Loss Distribution

Exploring Lebanon’s loss distribution dilemma, focusing on banks using depositor funds to cover losses, evasion of accountability standards, and the urgent need for bank restructuring.

Controlled Chaos: Analyzing Lebanon’s Capital Control Policy

Analyzing Lebanon’s capital control laws, highlighting issues like illegitimate withholding of funds, conflicts of interest in regulatory bodies, depositor discrimination, and the need for stringent, fair amendments.

Capital Control: Concealing Corruption