Lebanon Local Office Site

IMF Local Office in Lebanon

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This web page provides information on the activities of the Office, views of the IMF staff, and the relations between Lebanon and the IMF. Additional information can be found on Lebanon and IMF country page, including official IMF reports and Executive Board documents in English that deal with Lebanon.

News — Highlights

Mideast Countries See Opportunity Amid Unrest

Recent uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa provide an opportunity for the region to lay the foundation for a socially inclusive growth agenda, but in the near term, oil-importing countries face multiple pressures stemming from higher crude prices and disruptions to economic activity, the IMF said in its latest assessment of the region. 

Regional Economic Outlook (April 2011) Launch by the IMF and Banque du Liban

The April 2011 Regional Economic Outlook (REO) for the Middle East and Central Asia will be presented in Beirut on Friday, April 29, 2011, at an event co-hosted by Banque du Liban and the IMF. Speakers will include H.E. Riad T. Salameh, BdL Governor, and Mr. Eric Mottu, IMF Resident Representative. [View the invitation] 

Lebanon: Real GDP Growth Analysis, 1997-2009

In this updated presentation, Eric Mottu and Najla Nakhle discuss the main drivers of Lebanon’s growth from 1997 to 2009, and compare its performance with the MENA region. They find that growth was concentrated in retail and wholesale trade in 2009; was driven by trade, telecom, and banks in 1997-2009; came essentially from private consumption and private investment demand; and was fueled by large transfers from abroad. 

Mideast Needs More Focus on Inclusive Growth—IMF

Masood Ahmed, Director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department, says that one of the lessons from recent unrest in the Middle East is that governments should focus much more on inclusive growth and give better-targeted help to poorer households. 

Speech on Managing Financial Inflows in the Arab Region: Financial Sector Challenges

On November 26, 2010, Mr. Eric Mottu, IMF Resident Representative in Lebanon, participated in a panel discussion at the Annual Arab Banking Conference held in Beirut. The panel’s theme was about the impact of financial flows on Arab economies and the creation of new investment opportunities. Mr. Mottu discussed the challenges facing Arab banks, governments, and supervisors in managing volatile inflows and the importance of sound, counter-cyclical prudential policies in the banking sector. This would contribute to avoiding a new boom-bust cycle and to channeling the inflows toward productive uses. 

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Lebanon and The IMF

Press Release: Statement by IMF Deputy Managing Director Nemat Shafik at the Conclusion of Her Visit to Lebanon

May 10, 2012

Lebanon: 2011 Article IV Consultation - Staff Report; Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Lebanon

February 9, 2012
Series: Country Report No. 12/39 

Lebanon: Selected Issues

February 9, 2012
Series: Country Report No. 12/40 

Public Information Notice: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2011 Article IV Consultation with Lebanon

February 8, 2012
Each Public Information Notice contains a background section, a table of selected economic indicators, and an Executive Board assessment. 

Press Release: Statement by an IMF Mission to Lebanon

November 23, 2011

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Regional Economic Outlook: Middle East and Central Asia

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is going through a period of unprecedented change. In the 'Arab Spring' countries, political transition, pressing social demands, and an adverse external environment have combined to increase the near-term risks to macroeconomic stability. These risks were contained during 2011 but, with growth faltering, unemployment rising, and continued fiscal and external pressures, 2012 will be an equally challenging year. The Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) region recorded fairly strong economic performance in 2011, underpinned by robust commodity exports and remittance inflows. Although growth of such flows is expected to moderate in the near termâ??reflecting a weaker external environmentâ??CCA economies are still expected to hold up well. This broadly positive outlook presents an opportunity for CCA policymakers to rebuild policy buffers, prepare for downside risks that might materialize, and foster an inclusive growth agenda.