IMF delegation to Lebanon: A second visit with unanswered questions

On Tuesday, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation led by Ernesto Ramirez Rigo is set to land in Lebanon for meetings with several MPs, the Parliament Speaker, the government, as well as representatives from economic and financial institutions and civil society organizations.

This visit marks the second for the delegation, following their previous trip in March 2023.

This article is originally published in, translated from Lebanese newspaper Nidaa Al-Watan.

However, questions arise about the purpose of this visit, as the government and parliament have yet to implement any reforms or enact a reform law as stipulated in the preliminary agreement signed in April 2022.

During the delegation's last visit to Lebanon, Ramirez Rigo warned in a press conference that Lebanon was going through a highly critical phase with a rapid economic collapse. He cautioned that procrastination in implementing reforms could plunge the country into an endless crisis.

Nonetheless, politicians have remained essentially inert, failing to make significant progress on the desired reforms or to abandon the politics of patronage, affiliations, and blocs.

Instead, they have continued their policy of wasting time, failing to seize the opportunity to secure funding of around 3 to 4 billion dollars, which could have both material and moral implications for Lebanon. This funding could put the country on the path to recovery if the reforms are implemented, and the international community increases its assistance to Lebanon and provides loans.