Lebanon Daily News Brief 10/20/2021

DAILY NEWS


US Energy Envoy Visits Beirut
US Senior Advisor for Global Energy Security Amos Hochstein is in Beirut to discuss sustainable solutions to Lebanon’s energy crisis. Hochstein has also been appointed to lead US-mediated talks between Lebanon and Israel over maritime border disputes. [US State Department] The visit comes as Lebanon’s fuel shortages continue to afflict the country.

Central Bank Financial Audit to Resume
President Michel Aoun said today that consultants from Alvarez & Marsal will resume a financial audit of Lebanon’s central bank this week. The transparent audit of Banque du Liban has remained a central requirement for Lebanon to access billions of dollars in financial assistance. [National] Today an IMF executive director expressed hope that program negotiations with Lebanon to unlock assistance can begin before the start of the new year. [Reuters]

Judge Bitar Continues the Beirut Port Investigation
After Judge Tarek Bitar’s investigation into last year’s Beirut Port explosion had been temporarily suspended twice, Bitar has continued his probe and has rescheduled interrogations with two sitting members of parliament for October 29. Two other former ex-ministers have been issued arrest warrants for failing to appear. All four had previously filed legal complaints when they were called in for questioning. Former Prime Minister Hasan Diab is also scheduled for questioning at the end of the month. [Al Jazeera]

Human Rights Organization Concludes Syria not Safe for Return
Human Rights Watch released a report this week titled, “Our Lives Are Like Death: Syrian Refugee Returns from Lebanon and Jordan.” The report concluded that Syria is not safe for the return of refugees. HRW detailed cases of arrest and arbitrary detention, torture, kidnappings, extrajudicial killings, disappearances, and sexual violence for those who returned to Syria. [HRW]

OPINION & ANALYSIS


Providence
Firefight on Beirut Streets is a Warning to US and Lebanon
Steven Howard

Howard writes, “Onlookers have warned about increasing instability in Lebanon in recent years. While the US has strongly supported security and humanitarian assistance for Lebanon, multiple administrations have attempted to pivot away from the Middle East to East Asia. The October 14 clashes are the latest reminder that proactive action must be taken immediately to alleviate the suffering of the Lebanese people and to reform their political system. The US must prioritize combating corruption and incentivize reform in Lebanon. The clock is ticking.”

Read more here

Middle East Institute
Making Sense of the Beirut Clashes
Christophe Abi-Nassif

Nassif writes, “If there’s one key takeaway from [last] week’s developments, it’s that observers, both domestic and foreign, should keep their eyes on the ball: shielding the port blast investigation and ensuring it continues unabated. Lebanon’s political establishment has mastered the art of diversion and manipulation, and Lebanese political parties are once again leveraging religious affiliations, identity politics, and threats of civil war to divert attention away from a publicly supported investigation that may implicate nearly all of them. For years, politicians have cemented their favorite, forcibly imposed tradeoff: civil peace and stability vs. justice and accountability. This approach has generally been successful — more particularly since the general amnesty law was passed in 1991 — and has often resulted in inconclusive or botched investigations as well as political reconciliations that favored maintaining the status quo over finding and acting upon the truth.”

Read more here

The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies
Expanding the Prerogatives of Caretaker Governments in Times of Crisis
Ziyad Baroud

Baroud writes, “Caretaker governments became much more frequent and prolonged in recent years. While the average period to form a government was six days between 1989 and 2005, it increased to 100 days between 2005 and 2016,1 reaching up to a full year in two recent cases: Tammam Salam’s (2014) cabinet took 315 days to be formed, while Hassan Diab presided over a caretaker government for more than a year (from August 2020 to September 2021). The prerogatives of caretaker governments are, however, subject to different interpretations, and a point of controversy among Lebanon’s politicians. Given that Lebanon’s pressing economic and financial crisis often required critical decisions from Prime Minister Hassan Diab’s caretaker government, this brief seeks to clarify the prerogatives that the constitution, legal jurisprudence, doctrine, and academics assign to caretaker governments, as well as what citizens can expect from them.

Read more here


Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.

Lebanon Daily News Brief 9/29/2021

DAILY NEWS


Protesters Support Judge Bitar’s Investigation
Today around 300 protesters gathered outside of the Justice Palace in Beirut in support of Judge Tarek Bitar’s investigation of the Beirut Port blast. After two former ministers filed requests to remove Bitar, the domestic probe was suspended on Monday until the Court of Cassation makes a decision. Earlier this summer the two former ministers who filed the requests were called in for questioning by Bitar but did not show up. Protesters held up pictures of their loved ones lost to the Beirut explosion. They protested against the suspension of the investigation and said it is the “last opportunity for accountability.” [Al Jazeera]

Banks and Financial Officials Discuss Losses From Economic Collapse
Lebanon’s economy minister said today that the country’s banking sector, central bank, and other players are working in “harmony” to get to an agreement on the size of sustained losses during Lebanon’s economic crisis. Coming to an agreement on this is critical to IMF talks. Last year, disagreement over the scales of the losses and how they should be distributed contributed to the break down of IMF talks. [Reuters]

UN Report Warns of Dire Conditions for Syrian Refugees
In a report produced by the UN’s refugee agency, World Food Program, and children’s agency, the contributors warned that more than 1 million Syrian refugees are in dire conditions and that nine out of ten are in extreme poverty. It added that the cost of an essential food basket has increased more than seven time since 2019. [AP]

OPINION & ANALYSIS


Assist ISF and LAF Families in These Desperate Times
Jean AbiNader

AbiNader writes, “There is no way to ignore the sword of Damocles hanging over the security services in Lebanon. It is shocking but true that deficits for both the ISF and LAF exceed 90% in the current budget. This affects everything from salaries and health services, to food supplies, operations, and staffing. At a program in Beirut on September 22, General Joseph Aoun, Commander of the LAF, Major General Imad Osman, Commander of the ISF, and US Ambassador Dorothy Shea addressed the difficulties facing the troops and their families…Together we are committed to raising funds to support the families of the LAF and ISF who are under severe pressure as a result of the erosion of the Lebanese currency, economy, and essential supplies. Not only does the deficit impact their livelihoods, but it reduces their effectiveness and operational readiness as they have had to cut back funds allocated to operations and supplies in order to pay soldiers.”

Read more here
Watch the event here
Donate here

The National
Lebanon is a Model of Militias Taking Over the State
Michael Young

Young writes, “Lebanon stands out as a model of how former militia leaders have taken over the state. A majority of sectarian military leaders became pillars of the post-war order at the end of the country’s civil war in 1990. This happened at a time when centralized states were still the norm in the region. But that is no longer true, as countries throughout the Arab world have been shattered by conflict. Why should Lebanon matter? Precisely because it was the first country to show that militia leaders could be recycled after a war into legitimate national figures, regardless of the crimes they committed during conflict. Leading a militia became a path to social promotion for many individuals previously on society’s periphery…The post-war system may have been dominated by former militia leaders, but its principal protector today is another militia, Hezbollah, which was not initially part of the post-war carve-up. The former militiamen and businessmen have been reliant on Hezbollah to protect their system, but in the process they threaten to be marginalized.”

Read more here


Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.

This Week In Lebanon: 7/31/2021

July 31, 2021
Miqati to Prioritize IMF Talks Once Cabinet is Formed
Wildfires Continue to Burn in Northern Lebanon
Hundreds of Thousands of Children in Lebanon are Going Hungry

Miqati to Prioritize IMF Talks Once Cabinet is Formed
Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati’s first priority after forming a government will be to resume talks with the IMF in order to unlock up to $4 billion in soft loans. To access these funds the IMF demands that a credible cabinet is formed and that the previously discussed reforms are implemented. [The Daily Star]

RESPONSE

“In order to gain the early confidence of the Lebanese, Prime Minister-designate Miqati should prioritize actions that will have the biggest positive effect on the widest number of Lebanon’s citizens. This will entail working immediately with the IMF to stabilize the lira, supporting international humanitarian aid to the country’s poorest while initiating a plan to revamp subsidies, and taking immediate steps to provide reliable electricity. Such a plan would demonstrate concrete commitments to serve all the people of Lebanon.”

-ATFL President Edward M. Gabriel


Wildfires Continue to Burn in Northern Lebanon
A wildfire that started on Wednesday in northern Lebanon continued to burn for the third day in a row on Friday. Lebanon’s military and firefighters are working to contain the fire but they report there are some areas they can’t reach. [France 24] The fire has spread across Lebanon’s border with Syria and unofficial estimates say 500 acres of forests in the region have been destroyed so far. Firefighters and air force helicopters have been working to put out the fire and Syrian helicopters have since joined in the efforts. Lebanon’s government is calling for urgent assistance from Cyprus. [AP]

RESPONSE

“What a coincidence…it was the government’s inability to handle fires in the center of the country in 2019, from the Chouf to Beirut, that was a key factor leading up to the October 17 demonstrations that toppled the government (the other being a tax on WhatsApp calls). Now a new government is about to be presented and fires are ravaging the north, near Tripoli, the home of PM-designate Najib Mikati. Let’s hope he takes this as a sign that governing Lebanon will take more than promises this time around, and uses his skills to broker the deals needed to lessen Lebanon’s despair.”

-ATFL Policy Director Jean AbiNader


Hundreds of Thousands of Children in Lebanon are Going Hungry
A Save the Children report found that hundreds of thousands of children are suffering from hunger since last year’s August 4 Beirut Port blast. Lebanon’s poorest families simply cannot afford basic goods. The report detailed that about 47% of Lebanon’s population cannot afford essentials like lentils, cooking oil, diapers, sanitary pads, and fuel. [Al Jazeera]

RESPONSE

“Save the Children, a worldwide humanitarian NGO, issued a dire assessment of the impact of the many crises affecting Lebanon on children in the country. It is a bleak vision for all residents with 90% of the Syrian refugee population unable to purchase basic goods, a condition shared with more than half of Lebanese families. Even the ramping up of humanitarian assistance from international organizations is only a temporary solution as living conditions continue to deteriorate. This is a crisis that is generations in the making and will take decades to resolve.”

-ATFL Policy Director Jean AbiNader

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.

Lebanon Daily News Brief 7/19/2021

DAILY NEWS


US Treasury Delegation Visits Beirut
Starting today a US delegation from the Department of Treasury’s Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes offices will begin a three-day visit to Beirut to meet with financial sector interlocutors and civil society groups. The delegation will focus on corruption, illicit finance, and counterterrorism issues. [US Embassy in Lebanon]

French Judges Take Over Riad Salameh Case
French anti-corruption judges are now overseeing the investigation into the personal wealth of Riad Salameh, Lebanon’s central bank governor. The investigation will look into criminal allegations including laundering millions of dollars through Swiss banks to France buy purchasing high-end real estate properties. [NYTimes] French judges will now have the ability to call in Salameh for questioning and confiscate his assets. Their investigation will also look into claims that Salameh transferred large amounts of money abroad during October 2019 protests in Lebanon. [Naharnet]

Source Says IMF Could Commit Billions If New Government Formed
On Sunday a Daily Star source revealed that the IMF told caretaker Finance Ministers Ghazi Wazni that it is willing to commit $3 to $4 billion to any new cabinet that carries out economic reforms. $860 million in Special Drawing Rights is expected to come in the next few months from the IMF regardless if a new government is formed. [The Daily Star]

Riots on Friday Following Hariri Resignation
Following Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri’s resignation last week, the Lebanese pound reached a new record low at LL23,400 to the dollar. Riots ensued in Tripoli on Friday where Lebanese have gathered for protests over rising prices and extended electricity cuts. Nineteen protesters and ten soldiers were injured. [AP] General Joseph Aoun of the Lebanese Armed Forces said that Lebanon’s situation is worsening and he urged chaos prevention. [Reuters]

OPINION & ANALYSIS


The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Understanding Refugees’ Intentions to Return to Syria
Daniel Garrote Sanchez

Sanchez writes, “Even though the conflict in Syria continues to rage on, UNHCR estimates that about 250,000 Syrian refugees have already returned to their country since 2016—60,000 of them from Lebanon. Although security conditions in Syria are still not safe for a large return of refugees, some have been forcibly returned to Syria by the Lebanese state. Yet, there are others that have chosen to do so voluntarily. This brief sheds light on refugees’ past experiences of return in post-conflict countries as well as the current intentions to return among Syrian refugees in Lebanon. By using the LCSRHCL (2018)—a large survey of Syrian refugee and Lebanese individuals and households in Lebanon—this brief examines the multivariate reasons refugees choose to return to Syria or remain in Lebanon. We conclude with an assessment of the main drivers that lead to such decisions and what implications those drivers have for policymakers in Lebanon and internationally

Read more here

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.

Lebanon Daily News Brief 7/13/2021

DAILY NEWS


EU Warns Sanctions Could be Imposed By the End of the Month
Yesterday the European Union warned that it may impose sanctions on Lebanese officials by the end of the month. It is currently working on an agreement of the legal framework for the sanctions that would include travel bans and asset freezes. Sanctions will be applied to politicians flagged for corruption, obstruction of government formation, financial misdeeds, and human rights abuses. [Reuters] French Foreign Trade Minister Franck Riester also threatened Lebanese officials with sanctions from Paris to those who obstruct government formation. [AP]

France Allocates $600 Million for Beirut Port Silo Area
During a tour of Beirut Port this morning, French Foreign Trade Minister Franck Riester announced that France has allocated $600 million for a project to reconstruct the silo area in the Port of Beirut. He continued to emphasize the French position that Lebanon’s politicians must form a government and implement reforms. [The 961]

Judge Bitar Refuses Parliament’s Request
Parliament has asked Judge Tarek Bitar, lead investigator of last year’s Beirut explosion, for more evidence in order to lift immunities given to three former MPs. Bitar has refused the request, saying that he has already provided the documents necessary and and further evidence might compromise the confidentiality of the investigation. Families and friends of Beirut blast victims continue their protests today outside of one of the MPs homes, former Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk. Protesters call for justice and for immunities to be lifted. [The 961]

UK Funds Educational Research in Conflict Zones Including Lebanon
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab just announced that the UK will be providing funding to countries that have been impacted by war, political unrest, and natural disasters and whose children have suffered in their education because of it. The funding will help research the best methods to provide schooling in conflict zones and countries facing long-term crises. Almost $19 million will fund the research project and focus on education in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Myanmar. [Naharnet]

OPINION & ANALYSIS


The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies
Interactions and Attitudes Between Lebanese and Syrian Communities in Lebanese Municipalities
Daniel Garrote Sanchez

Sanchez writes, “The presence of a large Syrian refugee population in Lebanon has had numerous impacts on the Lebanese economy and society. One main area of concern regards social cohesion between the local hosts and Syrian refugee communities. Various studies have suggested different, sometimes conflicting, theories on how the two communities engage with one another and what forms of interaction improve or hinder social cohesion. In order to better understand the dynamics and attitudes of the two communities, LCPS conducted in 2018 a survey of host and refugee communities in three mid-sized cities in Lebanon: Saida, Zahle, and Halba. Through the survey, we find numerous variations in attitudes between and among the two communities, as well as variations across the different municipalities arising from varying geographic, economic, and confessional factors. The policy brief concludes with recommendations on how to better improve social cohesion and move toward cooperation between the two communities.”

Read more here

UN Web TV
Long-lasting Peace and Justice in the Middle East

In this UN session focused on sustainable development goals in Lebanon, experts from the UN and the World Bank discuss the prospects for peace and justice in the country. Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Star Lebanon Nadim Ladki interviews guests Joanna Wronecka, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, and Kumar Jha, Regional Director of the Mashreq Department of the World Bank Group.

Watch here

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.

Lebanon Daily News Brief 6/14/2021

DAILY NEWS


Lebanon’s Currency Has Reached a New Record Low
Yesterday, Lebanon’s currency reached a new low at LL15,150 to the dollar. [Middle East Eye] Today, it dipped even further at LL15,400 to LL15,000 on the black market. The Lebanese pound has lost about 90 percent of its value since late 2019 at the start of Lebanon’s economic meltdown. [Naharnet]

PM-Designate May Consider Stepping Down As Latest Talks Fail
Sources say Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is seriously considering stepping down from his role almost eight months after his designation. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s latest attempts to break the political gridlock by appointing a 24-member cabinet have failed thus far. Lebanon is now almost 10 months without a government. [The Daily Star]

President Aoun Meets with US Mediator on Maritime Border Talks
Today President Michel Aoun met with US mediator John Desrocher to discuss maritime border talks with Israel and the latest updates since the talks were halted. [Naharnet] Border talks had resumed in May, but were quickly stopped when Aoun claimed that the US was imposing pre-conditions and subsequently ordered Lebanon’s delegation to halt participation. [Al Arabiya]

OPINION & ANALYSIS


United States Institute of Peace
Lebanon on the Brink of Historic Breakdown
Osama Gharizi and Mona Yacoubian

“Already accomplices to this economic collapse due to years of corruption and mismanagement, Lebanon’s leaders have been reviled for their limited response. With Lebanese exasperated with their increasingly desperate situation, there could be widespread social unrest and a major breakdown, which would have important humanitarian and regional security implications.”

USIP’s Osama Gharizi and Mona Yacoubian look at what this means for the Lebanese people, the potential security and regional implications, and how the international community can help.

ٍRead more here

The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies
Bridging the Education Gap: How to Avoid a Lost Generation of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon
Daniel Garrote Sanchez

Sanchez writes: “Education is vital in providing individuals with skills and experiences that will afford them access to better and more secure work. The Lebanese government and international bodies have made efforts tot bring more Syrian refugee children into the educational system. Despite these efforts, about 54% of school-aged children (between the ages of 3 and 18) are still out of school. This policy brief uses econometric techniques to elicit the main drivers of education enrollment, distinguishing between different supply, financial, and demand factors. In order to determine the main factors – alongside econometric techniques – we use the Living Condition Survey of Refugees and Host Communities in Lebanon (LCSRHCL) in three mid-sized cities in Lebanon: Saida, Zahle, and Halba. We find strong evidence that education enrollment rates of Syrian refugees in Lebanon are appallingly low due to the lack of affordability and monetary means of the impoverished refugee population, and not primarily due to supply constraints. This brief ends with policy recommendations on how to bridge the gap and bring more Syrian refugee children into the local education system.”

ٍRead more here

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.

Lebanon Daily News Brief 6/7/2021

DAILY NEWS


French Financial Prosecutors Open Probe into Riad Salameh’s Wealth
Following recent complaints from Accountability Now, a Swiss foundation, and the anti-financial crime group Sherpa, French financial prosecutors have opened a probe into the personal wealth of Lebanon’s central bank governor Riad Salameh. The probe is expected to look into the sources of Salameh’s wealth following accusations of money laundering and embezzlement from Banque du Liban. [France 24]

World Bank May Be Willing to Add Additional $300m Loan
President Michel Aoun met with the World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa today to discuss Lebanon’s economic crisis. [Naharnet] They discussed Lebanon’s needed assistance and a World Bank sources suggested that the bank may be willing to increase the financial loan it previously offered by an additional $300 million. [The Daily Star]

Caretaker Finance Minister Wazni Approves Advanced Payment for Fuel
After Lebanon faced complete darkness over the weekend when private grantor owners began rationing electricity supply [Naharnet], caretaker Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni approved a payment today to purchase fuel for Electricite du Liban. He requested the presidency to approve the advanced payment in order to cover the purchase. [The Daily Star]

Citi Bank Names New Country Officer for Lebanon
Citi Bank recently named Ghassan Salem as its new country officer for Lebanon. Salem is replacing Michel Sawaya and will also become the head of corporate banking for Lebanon. [Reuters]

OPINION & ANALYSIS


The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies
From Liability to Asset: How Syrian Refugees Can Benefit the Lebanese Economy
Daniel Garrote Sanchez

Sanchez writes: “It is often remarked, both in the media and public discourse, that the presence of refugees is a burden on their host country’s economy. However, studies have shown that refugees in fact bring with them a range of economic benefits: They increase the pool of skills available, channel aid funds to the local economy, and increase local consumption…Overall, a UNDP and UNHCR 2015 report f Indus that every $1 spent in humanitarian assistance had a positive multiplier effect in $1.6 in the local economy.” Sanchez and team conducted a survey in three mid-sized cities in Lebanon in order to study the economic gains and losses in different segments of the Lebanese population. The survey suggests, “ruling out major negative consequences to the Lebanese economy due to the arrival of refugees, but it shows that the refugee inflow might have exacerbated inequality in the country with higher income groups benefiting form their arrival while some of the poorer citizens bore a larger burden.”

ٍRead more here

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.

Lebanon Daily News Brief 6/2/2021

June 2, 2021

Daily News


Lebanese Armed Forces Remain Top-Notch Security Partner
Following the conclusion of the multinational and joint military exercises Resolute Union 21, US Central Command and Defense Department officials complimented the Lebanese Armed Forces, and during an online discussion with the Middle East Institute, reaffirmed the importance of the US’s security partnership with the LAF, calling them a “security partner of choice.” [DOD News

Watch the online discussion hosted by MEI

Ambassador Shea Marks Conclusion of Resolute Union 21 Joint Military Exercises

UN Tribunal for Lebanon May Fold Due to Funding Crisis
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon investigating the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri announced it will not be able to continue operating past July 2021 due to a funding crisis. The shortfall stems in part from Lebanon’s worsening economic crisis. Lebanon is mandated to pay 49% of the costs of the tribunal. [AP]

Lebanese Leaders Exchange Barbs as Country Sinks into Crisis
Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab appealed to “friends” of Lebanon to help save the country from economic collapse. He also called upon Lebanon’s political leadership to make concessions necessary to form a government and respond to the growing needs of the Lebanese people. [Reuters] Meanwhile, the dispute between President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-Designate Saad Hariri has worsened, with each side continuing to blame the other for the current state of affairs. [AP]

Beirut Port is Finally Getting 24/7 Electricity
The Port of Beirut has finally been supplied with 24-hour access to electricity, after a warning last week that electricity shut offs to the port could result in “financial and economic catastrophe.” With full access to power, the port will be able to safely store refrigerated containers and imported food products. [The 961] Elsewhere, the Lebanese will have to contend with fewer and fewer hours of electricity and possibly a total blackout, with the state electric company rationing power to a only a few hours a day. Unlike with past outages, this time only a very few Lebanese will be able to afford to find alternatives like generators due to the impact of the current economic crisis and currency shortage. [UPI]

Opinion & Analysis


The World Bank
Lebanon Sinking into One of the Most Severe Global Crises Episodes, Amidst Deliberate Inaction
Press Release

In a press release issued Tuesday, the World Bank categorized the current economic and financial crisis in Lebanon as likely one of the worst worldwide in over 150 years. In a new report titled “Lebanon Sinking: To the Top 3,” The World Bank examines Lebanon’s economic outlook and risks amid inadequate policy responses. [The World Bank]

Read The World Bank Report


The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies

Wasted Potential: Mismatching Syrian Refugee Skills in the Lebanese Labor Market
Policy Brief by Daniel Garrote Sánchez 

LCPS conducted a survey in three mid-sized cities in Lebanon (Saida, Zahle, and Halba) in order to better understand the socio-economic situation of Syrian refugees and host communities in the country. We found that Syrian refugees have a wide range of skills and experiences that could benefit the Lebanese economy. Despite this, the only work available to Syrian refugees is predominantly in low-skilled, insecure, and precarious occupations. There are several political and legal barriers in place that prevent them from accessing the labor market in Lebanon. The underutilization of refugees’ skills not only reduces their capacity to sustain their livelihoods but also results in a loss of productivity and economic growth for the Lebanese economy as a whole

Read the policy brief here


A Moral Calling from the Pope to Lebanon’s Christian Leaders
Jean AbiNader

AbiNader writes: “And just like that, the Vatican is challenging Lebanon’s Christian leadership to do what’s best for Lebanon. Most believe it would take a miracle, but maybe this is the beginning. After the noon prayer on Sunday, May 30, the Pope said “On July 1, I will meet in the Vatican with the main leaders of the Christian communities in Lebanon, for a day of reflection on the country’s worrying situation and to pray together for the gift of peace and stability.” The “Christian communities” would be quite large if he includes the Orthodox and Protestant churches, other Catholics such as the Melkites, and the leader of the Maronite Catholic Church…”

Read more here


Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.


 

ATFL Daily News Brief 5/28/2021

May 28, 2021

 


Special Event

The Future of US Policy Toward Lebanon: Conversations with Senator Tim Kaine and Ambassador David Hale
Yesterday ATFL President Edward M. Gabriel moderated a conversation with Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Ambassador David Hale on US priorities and its approach to Lebanon. The event was hosted by the Middle East Institute as a part of its MEI Lebanon Policy Conference.

Watch the recording

 

Daily News


Speaker Berri to Mediate Talks Between President Aoun and PM-designate Hariri
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri is expected to launch mediation talks between President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri in the next one to two days. Hariri has reportedly started preparing a 24-minister cabinet line-up to submit to Aoun. [Naharnet] Berri had previously proposed a 24-minister cabinet that would allow Aoun to incorporate certain Christian ministers while maintaining no veto power to any side. [The Daily Star]

IOM Reports Dire Conditions for Migrants in Lebanon
The United Nations International Organization for Migration released a report this week warning of dire conditions for migrant workers in Lebanon. The report found that about half of migrants who responded are unemployed and cannot meet their food needs, and many said they are victims of physical abuse, sexual harassment, and denial of wages. Though many migrants want to return to their home country, they are unable to pay for return flights or not allowed to do so under the Kafala system in which they gave up their passports to find work. [Al Arabiya]

Read the IOM report here

 

World Food Program Announces Additional Assitance
On Wednesday the World Food Program announced additional cash assistance to Lebanese families. It will add 195,000 people to its foreign assistance plan in addition to the 100,000 it already offered assistance to. The program will offer about 200,000 Lebanese pounds per family unit per month. [Associated Press]

 

Opinion & Analysis

Middle East Institute
Hezbollah’s Regional Challenge
Hanin Ghaddar and Kasra Aarabi 

Hanin Ghaddar and Kasra Aarabi join Middle East Focus podcast host Alistair Taylor to discuss the challenges Hezbollah poses to region and its key role in Iran’s proxy network, which spans from Iraq to Syria and Lebanon to Yemen.

Listen here

 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.

This Week In Lebanon: 5/23/2021

May 23, 2021
US Congress Members Urge Support for Lebanon
International Support Group for Lebanon Meeting in Beirut
Syrian Voters Attacked on Their Way to Beirut

US Congress Members Urge Support for Lebanon
Members of Congress signed a letter to Secretary of State Blinken this week urging the United States to respond to Lebanon’s deteriorating situation. They recommended coordinated aid to the country, support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, and for an independent investigation into last summer’s explosion at the Port of Beirut. [Al-Monitor]

ANALYSIS

“Chairman Meeks and the congressional co-signers reaffirm Lebanon’s importance on the agenda of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. They understand the multi-dimensional aspects of a strong US policy: firm international diplomacy advocating a government capable of addressing the needs of the Lebanese citizens, international aid for those who suffer from the effects of incompetent governance, and steadfast support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, which is dedicated to the protecting the rights of its citizens. This letter and a companion letter sent by the House US-Lebanon Friendship Caucus keep the Lebanon issue front and center with the Biden administration and offer a roadmap for stabilizing its US interests in the eastern Mediterranean and for curbing the influence of Iran.”
-ATFL President Edward M. Gabriel


International Support Group for Lebanon Meeting in Beirut
The International Support Group for Lebanon (ISG) met in Beirut on Wednesday to assess Lebanon’s situation. The group took note of further economic and social decline in the country and called on political leaders to form a government. ISG also called for elections to occur on time and for impacts from any subsidy changes on economic and social well-being to be mitigated. [Naharnet]

ANALYSIS

“Once again the ISG has spoken out in support of the people of Lebanon, calling on the political leadership to undertake the reforms critical to the country’s survival, holding the elections on time, and maintaining humanitarian support for the populace. Is there any responsible world leader or organization that is not calling on the leadership to reform or step aside? It is exhausting to hear time and time again the need for transformation only to watch the oligarchy continue to ignore reality.”
-ATFL Policy Director Jean AbiNader


Syrian Voters Attacked on Their Way to Beirut
On Thursday Lebanese mobs attacked Syrian refugees and expatriates on their way to cast their vote at for the Syrian presidential election at the Syrian embassy in Beirut. The groups attacked were said to be organized to vote for President Bashar Assad and were identified by those chanting slogans in support of Assad and carrying banners with the president’s picture. [Arab News]

ANALYSIS

“The pent-up frustration of the Lebanese is being directed toward Syrians in Lebanon who are voting in the Syrian presidential elections at their embassy in Beirut. This has drawn the ire of opposition leaders and common people who can’t rectify why someone claiming refugee status would vote for Assad whose policies created the exodus from Syria in the first place. While the US and other countries are calling the election a sham, it is puzzling to understand the disconnect between those living on relief provided by the international community, and some who are supporting the regime that made them refugees in the first place.”
-ATFL Policy Director Jean AbiNader

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.