US Delegation Urges Lebanon To Speed Up Government Formation

• Roshan Amiri
• . July 19, 2022
• . Update: July 19, 2022 4:36 pm
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Lebanon–The United States (US) delegation has urged Lebanon to speed up government formation. A delegation from the American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL) said that “it’s important to establish a social economic program before it is too late.”

US ambassador to Lebanon, Dorothy Shea, also held talks with several Lebanese officials on this matter. Reportedly, Edward Gabriel, head of the ATFL, said, “Time is moving quickly, and the government must take the necessary steps to meet the needs of citizens to push forward negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).”

Parliamentary committees have also been working to approve bills that fall within the framework of reforms demanded by the IMF. The finance and budget committee has not yet finished studying the 2022 budget. There is also no parliamentary majority for either side as many MPs remain undecided. Lebanon held elections in May. However, a caretaker government with little authority is unable to resolve the crisis in Lebanon.

Gabriel further talked about the importance of the government. He reportedly said, “We need a partner, and that partner is the government, which has to act quickly to achieve what is required from it.”

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Lebanon’s crisis

The crisis began in 2019 when the financial system of Lebanon collapsed by corruption, mismanagement, and huge state debt. Lebanon’s economic crisis deepened after the 2020 Beirut Port tragic accident. The economic crisis has also pushed more than half the population into poverty in Lebanon. The World Bank ranked the Lebanon economic crisis as among the most severe globally since the mid-19th century. Lebanon’s poverty rate has increased to more than 74 per cent.

The severe devaluation of the Lebanese lira since 2019 has affected the country. This week, many workers launched protests against the deteriorating working and living conditions in the country. Reportedly, one-third of Lebanon’s labour force is unemployed.