Lebanese President Michel Aoun informed a US Treasury delegation that visited Beirut yesterday that Lebanon is committed to combating corruption, money laundering, and terrorism financing. He emphasized that Lebanese laws in this area are applied rigorously and accurately, as evidenced by international financial institutions.
President Aoun pointed out to the American delegation that Lebanon actively participates in international efforts to combat money laundering and plays its role in the Financial Action Task Force for this purpose in the Middle East. To this end, he established a National Coordination Committee for Combating Terrorism Financing and a National Anti-Corruption Authority.
The US Treasury delegation, which met with Aoun, included Paul Ahern, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes, and Eric Meyer, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Treasury. The delegation was accompanied by the US Ambassador to Lebanon, Dorothy Shea, and visited various Lebanese officials.
The delegation outlined its objectives for the visit to Beirut, focusing on cooperation with the Lebanese government regarding the banking situation in the country, particularly issues related to money laundering, corruption, ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, and the status of the Lebanese banking sector.
The Lebanese presidency stated that Aoun informed the US delegation members that fighting corruption was one of the main focuses of his term, asserting that this effort would continue unabated throughout the remainder of his presidency. A key aspect of this commitment is the insistence on achieving forensic auditing of the accounts of the Central Bank, which is carried out by Alvarez and Marsal after removing obstacles to its work.
He noted that the "Capital Control" law is present in the Parliament, and it was one of the key points included in the decree calling for an extraordinary session so that MPs could study and complete it before the end of their current term in May.
In the afternoon, the delegation visited House Speaker Nabih Berri and left without making any statements.
