Washington, DC, January 31, 2022 (ATFL) - The Middle East Institute (MEI), the oldest Washington based institution dedicated solely to the study of the Middle East, and the American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of Americans of Lebanese descent, have announced that Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) will make opening remarks at the February 1st webinar launch event for their policy brief, "Helping the Lebanese People Move Towards Recovery: Recommendations for US Policy.”
Rep. Issa joins MEI President Paul Salem and ATFL President Ed Gabriel for the event. A panel discussion featuring Salem, Gabriel, MEI Vice President of Policy Brian Katulis, and Senior Correspondent for The National (UAE) Joyce Karam, will be moderated by ATFL Vice President for Policy Jean AbiNader.
Speakers will discuss the latest events in US-Lebanon relations such as the resignation of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, reconciliation negotiations with the Gulf Arab states, and the implications of an Iran nuclear agreement. Co-authored by more than 22 experts on US-Lebanon relations, recommendations for US policy include: continued US diplomatic leadership on the crisis; International Monetary Fund (IMF) and international economic aid tied to government reforms; supporting on-time, free, and fair elections in May; humanitarian support for the Lebanese people; promoting sustainable solutions to regional issues including maritime boundary negotiations with Israel; and the use of sanctions and actions such as asset freezes to strongly combat corruption in the Lebanese government.
The panel will also discuss the urgency of US assistance to support the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Internal Security Forces (ISF) to support the livelihood of the troops and their families. The Levantine energy deals that will see Egyptian gas and Jordanian electricity sent to Lebanon will also be on the agenda.
The policy brief will be released during the webinar on February 1.
