The interim governor of the central bank, Wassim Mansouri, visited the Maronite League at the invitation of the economic committee, where former presidents and members of the executive council were present. The meeting opened with a speech by the league's president, Ambassador Khalil Karam, who praised the governor's approach to tackling sensitive issues with objectivity to ensure the true interests of Lebanese citizens in restoring financial recovery. Karam raised several questions: 1- Is there hope for the revival of the banking sector? 2- Is it possible to return deposits to their owners? 3- Who is responsible for the financial deterioration: banks, the state, or the central bank? 4- Is restructuring the banks now an inevitable necessity? 5- Are the doors of hope still closed, or is there a glimmer in the horizon?
Mansouri emphasized that the decisions to halt state funding, stop the Sayrafa platform, and cease central bank intervention in the exchange market resulted in stopping the bleeding, improving revenue, and stabilizing the state's finances. Regarding deposits, he stated that the recovery plan must consider the interests of depositors without endangering the banking sector. He identified four pillars for rebuilding the state: 1- Accountability through the judiciary exclusively. 2- A clear mechanism to restore depositors' funds. 3- Building the economy by launching the banking sector. 4- Reforming the public sector. Lastly, the governor pointed out a decision from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that will be adopted next fall, assuring that he will work hard to ensure that Lebanon's classification is not negatively impacted.
