Lebanon commits to structural reforms, Minister Yassine Jaber tells IMF, World Bank

Lebanese Finance Minister Yassine Jaber reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to structural reforms and rebuilding trust with international partners in remarks coinciding with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington.

Speaking on behalf of the Lebanese delegation—which includes cabinet ministers, the central bank governor, and senior officials—Jaber expressed gratitude for the international community’s support and belief in Lebanon’s potential for recovery.

“We are not undertaking these reforms to satisfy the IMF or anyone else,” Jaber said. “We are doing them because we need them—for our people, for our country, and to build a better Lebanon.”

Jaber criticized years of mismanagement, highlighting the electricity sector as a case in point. “We’ve spent millions of dollars only to get a few hours of electricity a day,” he said. “That’s why this government is committed to a bold and courageous reform program.”

He emphasized that reform must be structural and not limited to leadership changes. The government, he noted, has already launched a process to fill key institutional positions with qualified candidates, including members of the Lebanese diaspora. 

He cited strong interest in recent public calls for applicants by the Council for Development and Reconstruction and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

Jaber stressed that Lebanon’s reform agenda cuts across all sectors and priorities, from restructuring the banking sector to engaging with Eurobond holders and international donors.

“Our team here in Washington has been working tirelessly, day and night, over the past few days—and will continue to do so—to negotiate the best possible outcomes for Lebanon,” he said. "We are here to rebuild trust.”

He underlined the role of the IMF in Lebanon’s efforts to restore international credibility, stating, “We are negotiating with the IMF not because we are blindly in love with the IMF. We are negotiating with the IMF because, today, it is our gateway to restoring confidence.”

Jaber concluded by expressing hope that international engagement with Lebanon would continue, both politically and economically, and invited participants to visit Beirut, where he said visible signs of recovery are beginning to take shape.

“Beirut is changing,” he said. “Lebanon will always be a center of culture, heritage, and attraction for the region.”