(Failed) State of emergency
"All these accidents that happen follow the dots", the songs says. Lebanese deep crisis is no exception. Except nothing here is accidental. This is no bad luck, only bad choices. Here we go, it’s...
Lebanon-Poland: some ties to boost
Ambassador of Poland to Lebanon Przemyslaw Niesiolowski said on May 17 that his country aims at increasing cooperation between Polish and Lebanese businessmen, local media reported.
"We are going to increase cooperation between representatives of...
Can Qatar really challenge Saudi Arabia’s influence over Lebanon?
Money always talks. Bilateral trade between Lebanon and Qatar grew by a record 48%: from $145,9 million in 2017 it rose to $216,2 million in 2018, said Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al Thani, Chairman...
Water-for-electricity: the Lebanese-Jordanian solution
What an idea! Water for electricity, as it sounds into the oil-for-food program for Saddam's Iraq. Actually, the water-for-electricity deal between Lebanon and the Jordanian Kingdom could be part of the solution. But beware:...
Algerians protest in Algiers, Paris: “We want our democracy back”
Yesterday our Paris correspondent David Hury was in the crowd on the Republic Square. As in Algiers and in other European cities, Algerians had one message to the world: they want President Bouteflika (and...
Hezbollah as “terror entity”: UK says ‘yes’, EU says ‘no’
Sorry UK, but branding Hezbollah as "terror entity" seems a bit anachronistic given the mess it has created for itself with Brexit and its questionable allies in the Middle East. Yet, in February, Hezbollah...
Illicit arms sales brings new dimension to Yemen war
It comes as no surprise, illicit arms and weapons have been flowing into the war in Yemen with numerous examples of such weapons supplied by arm sellers, such as China, UK and the U.S.,...
Fouad Zmokhol on reforming Lebanon: “It’s time to act”
ByTheEast: A few weeks ago, Beirut hosted the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit which turned out to be a fiasco. Economic commentators pointed to the humiliation faced by Lebanon because of it. Do...
Lebanon’s elephant in the room: its debt sustainability
Debt
sustainability has become a focal point for Lebanon’s economy
following comments made by its finance minister vis-a-vis its public
debt. Beirut’s dollar dominated sovereign bonds also witnessed a
sell-off midst a market turbulence following concerns that Lebanon
could...
Debt restructuring is ‘absolutely not’ on the card
Introducing a restructured debt wasn’t an imminent
future in Lebanon, thought Goldman Sachs. However, the country has turned its
focus on investors’ recovery while financial crisis stands knocking at the
country’s door.
The “base scenario”, presented by...