Articles by Dr. Ghazi Mahmoud on energy, oil and gas, banking and money, and the Lebanese and world economy, since 2023, in full.
The war Israel is waging on Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank, extending all the way to Iran, has not deterred it from working to explore for new sources of oil and natural gas beneath the waters of its exclusive economic zone in the eastern Mediterranean basin, given that natural gas constitutes a strategic resource for it.
Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal, OZ Arab MediaOil prices fell below $107 a barrel on Tuesday, after Brent crude hit a five-month high at the start of trading the same morning.
Channel 23, MTV LebanonThe war on Iran, now entering its eighth month, has constituted one of the biggest shocks the global oil market has experienced in decades.
Channel 23, Lebanon FilesThe global economy faces successive challenges that are putting supply chains through unprecedented tests, driving up the prices of goods and services and raising inflation rates.
Lebanese Army MagazineThe escalating confrontations in the Strait of Hormuz, and their expansion to target oil and gas tankers and commodity vessels with US and Iranian strikes, pushed average daily transits down to around ten ships on Sunday, September 6, 2026, marking their lowest level since May.
Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal, OZ Arab Media, Lebanon FilesRenewed escalation between the United States and Iran has returned the Strait of Hormuz to the forefront of events in the Arabian Gulf region, underscoring the pivotal position it occupies in the international trade system, particularly the oil and gas trade.
Channel 23, MTV Lebanon, Lebanon FilesIraq's announcement of the formation of a high-level committee to negotiate with Turkey on extending the crude oil export agreement via the Iraq-Turkey pipeline to the port of Ceyhan has raised questions about the fate of the Kirkuk-Tripoli pipeline, which runs from Iraq through Syria to Lebanon, and the importance of reactivating it for both Lebanon and Iraq.
Channel 23, OZ Arab Media, Lebanon FilesThe recent war, along with the rapid international developments and wide-ranging geopolitical and economic repercussions that accompanied it, has shown that the global economy has entered a new phase that experts call the "economy of crises," in which successive crises have become a defining feature of the global economic system.
OZ Arab Media, Lebanon Files, Al-Duha magazineAfter concerns over climate change, caused by fossil fuel emissions, had been building pressure to curb the expansion of oil and gas use and encouraging greater investment in renewable energy sources, sustained and accelerating demand for oil and gas amid the repercussions of the US-Israeli war on Iran has come to underscore the enduring importance of conventional energy.
Channel 23, Al-Duha magazine, Lebanon FilesThe US-Israeli war on Iran and its repercussions on the countries of the region are disrupting global trade and supply chains by obstructing navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, leaving the world facing one of the worst energy crises in its modern history, one that recalls the crisis of the 1970s.
Al-Duha magazine, OZ Arab Media, Lebanon FilesAs soon as the United States of America and Iran failed to reach an agreement on a peace proposal put forward by Washington, oil prices jumped last Monday (10/5/2026), with Brent crude futures rising by $4.5, or 4.6%, to reach $105.99 a barrel.
Channel 23, Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal, MTV LebanonThe announcement by the United Arab Emirates of its exit from OPEC and the OPEC+ alliance marked a surprising step and a striking shift in the course of regional and international energy policies, raising questions about the organization's future and its role in the global energy market.
Anbaa OnlineThe announcement by the United Arab Emirates of its exit from OPEC and the OPEC+ alliance marked a surprising step and a notable shift in the course of regional and international energy policies, raising questions about the organisation's future and its role in the global energy market.
Channel 23, Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal, Al-Duha magazineLebanon continues to be subjected to Israeli attacks, despite the ceasefire announcement issued by US President Donald Trump last Tuesday, April 7, just one hour before the expiration of the deadline he had set for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping, brandishing his threat to destroy what he called "Persian civilization" in the event of non-compliance.
Channel 23, MTV Lebanon, Anbaa OnlineWhile challenges related to climate change served as the primary driver of investment in renewable energy over the past two decades, an equally important new challenge has recently emerged, centered on energy security and ensuring the continuity of supplies.
Channel 23, Anbaa Online, OZ Arab MediaThe war waged by the United States and Israel against Iran continues for a third consecutive week, amid growing fears that the conflict will widen and turn into an open regional war whose repercussions extend beyond the parties directly involved.
Channel 23, MTV Lebanon, OZ Arab MediaThe attacks launched by the United States of America against the Islamic Republic of Iran, acting jointly and in solidarity with Israel, threaten the global economy and are pushing markets toward a new crisis amid growing fears that the confrontations could widen and drag on.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaMost developing countries consider oil wealth as a lifeline from poverty and a solution to their financial and economic problems.
Lebanese National Defense MagazineAfter a turbulent year in 2024, in which both the conventional and renewable energy sectors faced immense challenges stemming from supply and demand imbalances, escalating geopolitical tensions, and weaker macroeconomic performance, the outlook for 2025 appears more optimistic.
Lebanese Army MagazineAt a time when the entry of the United States into the ongoing war between Iran and Israel was expected to drive further escalation, that intervention instead hastened a ceasefire agreement between the combatants, after the United States allowed Iran a "penalty kick" in response to its strikes.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaWhile renewable energy and its developments occupy the attention of those concerned with climate change and environmental safety, fossil fuels continue to be used alongside nuclear power to generate electricity.
TaqamenaAs US President Donald Trump visits the Middle East, the countries of the OPEC+ alliance have decided to increase production.
TaqamenaThe energy sector is expected to witness positive developments during 2025, after facing disruptions and challenges in 2024 marked by fluctuations in supply and demand, escalating geopolitical tensions, macroeconomic weakness, and a continued focus on the energy transition.
Channel 23, MTV Lebanon, OZ Arab MediaThe issue of oil and gas exploration in Lebanon's Exclusive Economic Zone is once again capturing domestic, and perhaps regional and international, attention, especially after oil and gas regained their prominence in the energy mix following the Russian-Ukrainian war and its repercussions, and gained strong momentum with the new US administration, its declaration of a national energy emergency, and its efforts to lower energy prices.
TaqamenaWith Lebanon’s achievement of its constitutional requirements in terms of electing the president of the republic and the new government gaining the confidence of the parliament, all the requirements of the county’s recovery have become required at once.
OZ Arab MediaWith Lebanon having completed its constitutional obligations by electing a president of the republic and securing parliament's vote of confidence for the new government, all the requirements for restoring the country's health have fallen due at once.
Channel 23, MTV Lebanon, Lebanon FilesAfter approving the ministerial statement, the Lebanese looked forward to the electricity sector and oil and gas exploration.
OZ Arab MediaIn the wake of the Reform and Rescue government's approval of its ministerial statement, the eyes of the Lebanese are turning to the electric power and oil and gas exploration sectors, as the government has pledged to increase the hours of electricity supply, in addition to resuming work on oil and gas exploration.
MTV Lebanon, Channel 23, OZ Arab MediaThe accomplishment of the presidential elections stirred up the “stagnant waters of the republic,” bringing back attention to all the political and economic issues that local and regional circumstances had prevented from reaching appropriate solutions.
OZ Arab MediaThe completion of the presidential election has stirred "the republic's stagnant waters" and brought back to the table all the political and economic issues that local and regional circumstances had prevented from reaching suitable solutions.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaOil and gas discoveries in the eastern Mediterranean basin have thrust the region into the spotlight and attracted international attention to its hidden wealth since the beginning of the third millennium.
Channel 23, MTV Lebanon, Radar NewsThe geopolitical developments that marked 2024 had varying repercussions on the global economy, and while fears of rising oil and gas prices ran high, the surprise came from the price of the yellow metal.
Channel 23, MTV Lebanon, Lebanon FilesRenewed interest in the Eastern Mediterranean basin stems from estimates by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) of undiscovered, technically recoverable hydrocarbon resources in this basin, conducted as part of its global petroleum assessment in July 2021.
Lebanon FilesRenewed interest in the eastern Mediterranean basin stems from estimates by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) of undiscovered, technically recoverable hydrocarbon resources in this basin, conducted as part of its global petroleum assessment in July 2021.
Channel 23, OZ Arab Media, Radar NewsOil prices are characterized by rapid fluctuations in step with economic developments and geopolitical conflicts; as these intensify, market demand accelerates and prices rise in anticipation of any potential negative development, before both return to stability in readiness for a new phase of volatility and fluctuations that is seldom long in coming.
Channel 23, LinkedIn, MTV LebanonThe financial and economic crisis in which Lebanon has been floundering is approaching the end of its fifth year, while the sought-after solutions remain trapped in a labyrinth of waiting, with no serious attempt on the horizon by the caretaker government to put an end to the crisis and its repercussions.
Channel 23, MTV Lebanon, Lebanon FilesEncouraging the use of solar energy to generate electricity, whether at the level of individual and institutional consumption or at the public level, raises the question of the economic viability of electricity-generating solar power systems compared with the electricity consumers can obtain from Electricité du Liban or from private generators.
Channel 23, LinkedIn, MTV LebanonSome may find talk of the need for Lebanon to transition to clean and renewable energy superfluous at a time when the government is unable to secure regular supplies of the fuel oil shipments needed to operate thermal power plants.
LinkedIn, Channel 23, Lebanon FilesThe electric power sector and the issue of securing a sustainable supply remain mired in crises, after the National Plan for the Sustainable Recovery of the Electricity Sector, approved by the caretaker government in March 2022, ran into the conflicting priorities and interests of the ruling factions.
Channel 23, OZ Arab Media, Radar NewsThe word “Crisis” is almost the title of all issues related to the state in Lebanon, including public administrations and services.
LinkedIn, OZ Arab MediaEnergy, across its various sources, forms the backbone of modern economies, enabling the establishment of new investments, the expansion of existing businesses, and the launch of creative innovations.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaEnergy plays a pivotal role in modern economics by providing opportunities for new and existing investments and innovations.
LinkedIn, OZ Arab MediaAs the dispute escalates between the ministers of economy and energy over the Qatari offer to supply Lebanon with a solar power plant capable of generating 100 megawatts of electricity, the Lebanese continue to suffer from the low number of hours of electrical power provided by Electricité du Liban.
Channel 23, Radar News, Lebanon FilesQatar offered Lebanon the opportunity to establish a 100 megawatts (MW) solar power station, which sparked a debate between the Minister of Economy and the Minister of Energy.
LinkedIn, OZ Arab MediaTotalEnergies recently postponed, without any justification, the delivery to the Lebanese state of its final report on the exploration results in Block 9, which a delegation from the Lebanese Petroleum Administration had been scheduled to receive in the French capital at the end of last March before the appointment was canceled without setting any new date.
Lebanon Files, OZ Arab Media, Channel 23TotalEnergies has recently postponed submitting its final report on drilling results in Block No.
LinkedIn, OZ Arab MediaIt may seem a luxury to argue that Lebanon must prepare for the transformations taking place in the energy sector at the global level, at a time when the country is drowning in crises that begin with the financial and economic crisis, pass through the presidential vacuum, the paralysis of the state's institutions and the erosion of its authority, and do not end with the Israeli aggression and the existential threat it poses to the Lebanese entity.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaIt may be a luxury to say that Lebanon must be prepared for the energy transition on a global level when the country is immersed in a crisis that began with the financial and economic crisis, passing through the vacuum in the presidency and the disruption of state institutions, and its authority disappear, while the Israeli aggression poses an existential threat to the Lebanese entity.
LinkedInThe convening of the COP28 United Nations Climate Change Conference at Expo City Dubai in the United Arab Emirates must serve as an occasion for Lebanon to turn its attention to the issue of electricity generation and to work towards ensuring that its primary sources come from clean and renewable energy, increasingly year after year.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaDrilling operations in Block 9 are facing difficulties that prevent the continuation of the drilling started by the Transocean Barents rig last August 24, at the exact location where it began, after arriving at the block on the 15th of the same month.[1] This led to the issuance of a decision to modify the drilling site at the request of the operating company, TotalEnergies, knowing that twelve days had not yet passed since drilling operations began, while the drilling depth was limited to just 35 meters.
OZ Arab Media, Channel 23, Lebanon FilesThe arrival of the Transocean Barents drilling rig in Block 9 this past August 15 revived Lebanese hopes that uncertainty would soon give way to certainty regarding the availability of oil and gas beneath the waters of Lebanon's exclusive economic zone.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaThe latest electricity plan is faltering at a time when Lebanon remains mired in an economic crisis that the World Bank previously described in a 2020 report as the worst globally since the mid-19th century, its complications compounded by coinciding with the coronavirus pandemic, which widened its repercussions to reach most sectors, causing a contraction in productive activities and a drop in domestic output to unprecedented levels.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, LinkedInNatural resources in general, and hydrocarbon resources in particular, form part of the real wealth of nations; they are the natural capital from which other forms of capital are formed, giving their revenues a fundamental role in the process of economic development.
LinkedIn, OZ Arab MediaThe announcement by a number of key members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC+, of their intention to make a voluntary, additional cut to their production starting next May until the end of 2023 raises questions about the state of the energy market in the near future, especially since it is the second cut undertaken by these countries within six months (the first cut was approved in November 2022).
LinkedIn, OZ Arab MediaPrepared by Retired Administrative Brigadier General Ghazi Mahmoud, 30/3/2023 Interest in the energy sector is being renewed as implementation begins on the "National Emergency Plan" for the electricity sector, which includes the new tariff for the cost per kilowatt-hour, subscription fees and the rehabilitation charge calculated at the "dollar exchange rate on the Sayrafa platform." This comes especially as fears grow that Électricité du Liban will be unable to sustain the plan as its implementation progresses, particularly regarding its ability to collect dues at a time when many subscribers are moving to cancel their subscriptions with Électricité du Liban and rely solely on subscriptions to private generators.
LinkedInFollowing the demarcation of the southern maritime border of Lebanon's Exclusive Economic Zone at the end of 2022, it is worth pointing out that the promised oil and gas wealth faces formidable obstacles, and that its repercussions on the national economy once extracted are not limited to positive effects, but rather include negative ones as well.
LinkedIn, OZ Arab MediaWhile countries around the world are working to harness renewable energy, whose share of total energy used is growing, yesterday's meeting at the Grand Serail stood out, bringing together a delegation from Électricité de France alongside the Lebanese prime minister and energy minister, with talk of a plan to build three new thermal power plants.
OZ Arab MediaWhile countries around the world work to harness renewable energy, whose share of total energy consumption continues to grow, yesterday's meeting at the Grand Serail, which brought together the Lebanese prime minister and energy minister with a delegation from Électricité de France, stood out for talk of a plan to build three new thermal power plants.
LinkedInPrepared by Retired Administrative Brigadier General Ghazi Mahmoud, January 30, 2023 The banking sector in Lebanon has long stood out among its peers in the Arab countries looking for investment opportunities in Beirut and, through it, in global markets.
LinkedInSince its approval by the Cabinet at the end of last year, the financial regularisation bill, which is also known as the financial gap law, has sparked a wide wave of divergent positions, both opposed and supportive, with the supportive positions largely dominated by substantial reservations that bring them closer to rejection.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaThis is not the first time that gold prices have experienced sharp rises, yet it is the first time the yellow metal has recorded unprecedented highs, and at a breathtakingly accelerating pace.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, Al-Duha magazineSix years after the unprecedented financial and economic collapse witnessed by Lebanon, which deprived the Lebanese of their deposits, the Lebanese government approved the "Financial Regularity Bill" and deposit recovery, also known as the financial gap and loss distribution bill.
Channel 23, MTV Lebanon, OZ Arab MediaGold prices in global markets are witnessing a sharp rise that is unprecedented in both its pace and its volatility, prompting questions about the reasons behind this surge, especially since gold generates only modest returns, while demand for it has grown over the past two years, causing its prices to climb steeply.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, MTV LebanonOn Friday, November 14, 2025, Banque du Liban announced the imposition of precautionary measures on all non-banking financial institutions licensed by it, including money transfer companies, currency exchange firms, and other entities engaged in handling foreign-currency cash and transferring it to and from Lebanon.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, MTV LebanonThe outcomes of the meetings held by the official Lebanese delegation with the International Monetary Fund as part of its participation in the autumn meetings of the IMF and the World Bank did not differ from previous ones, particularly last spring's meetings.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, MTV LebanonOn the eve of the Summit on Combating Financial Crimes, held under the patronage of the Minister of the Interior on Wednesday, October 15, at the Middle East Airlines Training and Conferences Center in Beirut, it is essential to shed light on this type of crime, demonstrate the obstruction and failures it inflicts on economic activities, and highlight the threat it poses to the stability of national economies by preventing their growth and development.
Channel 23, MTV Lebanon, Lebanon FilesThe Constitutional Council's partial invalidation of the "Law on Reforming the Status of Banks and Reorganizing Them", numbered 23/2025, has reopened the debate over the condition and fate of the banks, especially as confidence between the Lebanese and the banks remains lost.
Channel 23, OZ Arab Media, Lebanon FilesSince the autumn of 2019, Lebanon has been experiencing one of its most difficult and complex financial and economic crises, after the banking sector collapsed and depositors' confidence in it collapsed along with it, due to strict restrictions on their deposits, estimated at more than $90 billion, as well as on transfers and withdrawals.
MTV Lebanon, OZ Arab MediaThe European Commission's decision to place Lebanon on its list of high-risk third countries suffering from strategic deficiencies in their regimes for combating money laundering and terrorist financing, known as the blacklist, complements Lebanon's placement by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on its grey list in October 2024.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, MTV LebanonSince the eruption of the financial and economic crisis in Lebanon at the end of 2019, it has been clear that its causes lie in accumulated failures in fiscal and monetary policies over decades.
MTV Lebanon, Channel 23, Lebanon FilesSince 2019, Lebanon has faced the worst financial and economic crisis in its modern history, one that the World Bank ranked among the three worst crises the world has witnessed since the 19th century.
Channel 23, OZ Arab MediaThe financial and economic crisis in which Lebanon has been mired continues on its faltering course, despite more than six years having passed since its eruption in the autumn of 2019, when capital inflows halted, the exchange rate collapsed, and confidence in the banking sector was shaken.
MTV Lebanon, Channel 23, Lebanon FilesSince the election of General Joseph Aoun as president of the republic, Lebanon has been experiencing a true celebration and witnessing a throng of well-wishers that has included both the French and Cypriot presidents, in addition to the United Nations secretary-general, as well as Jordan's foreign minister and Spain's defense minister, while the foreign ministers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Kuwait are expected to arrive.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaAt a time when it is difficult to estimate the value of the losses, both direct and indirect, suffered by the national economy as a result of the barbaric Israeli aggression against Lebanon, the statement of financial position, or what is known as the bi-monthly balance sheet, for the first half of October issued by Banque du Liban showed a decline in its foreign currency reserves of more than 341 million US dollars.
Channel 23, OZ Arab Media, MTV LebanonThe decision by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to place Lebanon on the grey list did not surprise those concerned; indeed, they were aware of the content of the decision before it was issued.
Lebanon Files, MTV Lebanon, OZ Arab MediaAs the meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) approaches, the threat of placing Lebanon on the grey list has resurfaced, with the grace period previously granted to Lebanon nearing its end.
Channel 23, LinkedIn, Lebanon FilesRecent forecasts by Standard & Poor's Global of a sharp decline in the value of the Lebanese pound over the next three years have raised questions about the motives behind these negative projections on the one hand, and how closely they reflect reality on the other.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, MTV LebanonThe word "crisis" could almost serve as the headline for every issue concerning the state in Lebanon, across both public administrations and public services.
Lebanon Files, Radar NewsThe word "crisis" has almost become the headline for every issue concerning the state in Lebanon, across its public administrations and services.
Channel 23, OZ Arab MediaThe Lebanese Minister of Finance issued a circular to the public administration outlining principles for preparing the 2025 budget draft.
OZ Arab MediaAt the end of last April, the Lebanese finance minister sent a circular to public administrations to prepare the 2025 draft budget, stipulating that its expenditures remain within the limits of the 2024 budget.
Channel 23, Radar News, OZ Arab MediaThe annual change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of March 2024 (published by the Central Administration of Statistics in Lebanon) decreased to 70.36 % relative to March 2023 was noteworthy.
LinkedIn, OZ Arab MediaRemarkably, the annual change in Lebanon's consumer price index, published by the Central Administration of Statistics, fell in March 2024 to 70.36% compared with the same month in 2023.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, Radar NewsFor the fourth consecutive year, Lebanon's financial and economic crisis continues in all its complexity, with no serious signs or initiatives on the horizon to put the crisis on the path to a resolution.
Radar News, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaAhead of the payment of public-sector salaries for military personnel, civil servants and retirees at the end of 2023, the acting governor of Banque du Liban adopted an exchange rate of 89,500 Lebanese pounds to the dollar, instead of the 85,500 rate he had continued to apply for the same purpose since assuming his duties at the beginning of last August.
Radar News, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaAs the intensity and pace of clashes escalate on Lebanon's southern border with the Israeli enemy, coinciding with the war of extermination waged by Israel against the Palestinians in Gaza and the risks of an all-out war breaking out, and amid sterile domestic disputes, Banque du Liban issued on November 17, 2023, Intermediate Circular No.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaAs the intensity and pace of clashes escalate along Lebanon's southern border with the Israeli enemy, coinciding with the war of extermination waged by Israel against the Palestinians in Gaza and the risks of an all-out war breaking out, and amid sterile domestic disputes, Banque du Liban issued Intermediate Circular No.
Radar NewsAs tensions escalate in occupied Palestine in the wake of the heroic Operation Al-Aqsa Flood carried out on the seventh of this October by the Palestinian resistance in the occupied territories, as the atrocity of the massacres committed by the Israeli enemy against civilians grows, and as the winds of escalation scorch Lebanon's southern border, the exchange rate of the Lebanese pound against the US dollar has remained stable for the third consecutive month despite all of the above, transcending the presidential vacuum and the inability of the caretaker government to take measures to prevent the continuation of the financial and economic collapse.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaThe stability of the pound amid the storm: As tensions escalate in occupied Palestine in the wake of the heroic Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, carried out this October 7 by the Palestinian resistance in the occupied territories, and the growing atrocity of the massacres committed by the Israeli enemy against civilians, and while the winds of escalation sweep across Lebanon's southern border, the exchange rate of the Lebanese pound against the US dollar has held steady for the third consecutive month despite all of the above, transcending the presidential vacuum and the inability of the caretaker government to take measures to prevent the continuation of the financial and economic collapse.
Radar NewsBanque du Liban's intervention in the foreign exchange or currency market prior to establishing the Sayrafa platform took place automatically, through buying or selling hard currencies to curb fluctuations in the exchange rate of the national currency.
Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaWhile the preliminary forensic audit report into the accounts of Banque du Liban, conducted by the firm Alvarez & Marsal, did not yield new findings regarding the violations of Banque du Liban Governor Riad Salameh during the period under audit, that audit was confined to one-fifth of the duration of his tenure in the governorship.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaIt is no minor detail that the parties holding sway over political and economic decision-making in Lebanon have proved unable to renew or extend the terms of their key figures in decision-making posts, as what is happening today is an indicator of shifts and changes in the rules governing public affairs.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaThe stances of the deputy governors of Banque du Liban on the eve of the end of the governor's term this July 31, whether in threatening to resign or in requesting the enactment of financial and monetary legislation legalising the bank's intervention in the foreign exchange market, raise questions about the monetary policy they intend to implement.
Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaAfter the US firm "Alvarez & Marsal" had been expected to issue its preliminary report on the outcome of the accounting audit into Banque du Liban's activities from 2015 through 2021 before the end of 2022, the fate of the report remains unknown despite the passage of nearly eight months.
LinkedIn, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaSince the beginning of this May, Lebanon has witnessed stability in the exchange rate after it briefly touched 145,000 pounds to the dollar in the middle of last March, before gradually declining again and fluctuating during this past April between 98,000 and 95,000 Lebanese pounds, settling from the start of May until the time of writing these lines at 94,000 pounds.
LinkedIn, Channel 23, Lebanon FilesLebanon is groaning under a stifling economic crisis that is growing ever more complex due to the vacuum sweeping across state institutions, particularly in the presidency, while the executive branch remains stuck in caretaker mode and the legislature is divided among political factions that agree among themselves only at the expense of the Lebanese people.
LinkedIn, OZ Arab Media, Channel 23In the context of Lebanon's economic crisis and its financial and monetary repercussions since 2019, it is essential to examine the latest World Bank report (8 May 2023) on food security, in which Lebanon topped the list of countries with the highest inflation in domestic food prices.
LinkedIn, OZ Arab MediaAt a time of growing talk about the rise in the exchange rate of the US dollar against the pound, it must first be noted that the depths to which the financial and monetary situation had sunk during the years preceding the eruption of the crisis are the cause of the collapse of the Lebanese pound and the corresponding rise in the exchange rate.
LinkedIn, OZ Arab MediaAt a time when the Lebanese pound is collapsing and inflation is spreading like wildfire, threatening the livelihood of the Lebanese people and devouring the purchasing power of their currency, one must ask about the causes that have plunged the national economy into this vicious circle and are preventing the formulation of appropriate solutions to emerge from this protracted crisis.
LinkedIn, OZ Arab MediaThe ongoing collapse afflicting the national currency brings to mind the 1980s, when the exchange rate of the US dollar against the Lebanese pound rose to more than 450 Lebanese pounds at the end of 1987, after having stood at no more than 6.8 pounds in 1982.
LinkedIn, OZ Arab Media, Radar NewsUsing the US dollar in domestic transactions is nothing new to the Lebanese; it began in the mid-1980s with the collapse in the value of the Lebanese pound, and again in the early 1990s, specifically in 1992.
LinkedIn, OZ Arab MediaThe issue of adjusting salaries and wages in Lebanon is trapped in a vicious circle because the government links any increase in public expenditure required for such an adjustment to an increase in revenues, an increase that, according to the government, is possible only by raising indirect taxes, particularly levies on gasoline and other items.
Lebanese Army MagazineSince the end of 2019, the Lebanese economy has been accumulating successive losses amid worsening structural imbalances and increasingly complex financial and economic crises, with no serious signs on the horizon of a sustainable solution.
Anbaa Online, Channel 23, Al-Iktissad Wal-AamalThe concepts of growth and development, in addition to sustainable development, occupy a prominent place in economic and social literature, given their importance in the trajectories of nations' progress and the well-being of their peoples, particularly in developing countries where broad segments of society suffer from poverty and economic vulnerability (Todaro & Smith, 2015).
Al-Duha magazineAs the world's attention turns to the US-Israeli war on Iran, Lebanon faces the domestic and regional repercussions of this war, particularly following Hezbollah's entry into the conflict in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Channel 23, Al-Duha magazine, OZ Arab MediaThe Lebanese Cabinet, during its session on Monday, February 16, 2026, approved a salary increase for public sector employees across all levels, including contractors and retirees.
OZ Arab MediaAt its session held on Monday, February 16, 2026, the Lebanese Cabinet approved granting public sector employees across all cadres, as well as contractors and retirees, an increase equivalent to six additional salaries, with full supplementary allowances for military personnel.
Channel 23, OZ Arab Media, Lebanon FilesThe issue of adjusting salaries and wages in Lebanon has long been a point of contention between public sector employees and labor unions on one side, and the state on the other, especially since the state has consistently failed to approve fair increases commensurate with rising inflation rates and rising cost-of-living levels.
Channel 23, MTV Lebanon, OZ Arab MediaThe issue of adjusting salaries and wages in Lebanon has long been a point of contention between public sector employees and labour unions on one side, and the state on the other, particularly since the state has persistently failed to approve fair increases commensurate with rising inflation rates and higher cost-of-living levels.
Al-Duha magazineAs preparations continue to celebrate Christmas and the New Year, the economic activity witnessed in Lebanese markets remains subdued, due to the accumulations of the economic crisis and its repercussions, as well as the damage resulting from the ongoing Israeli aggression, which continues to weigh heavily on various segments of the economy.
Channel 23, MTV Lebanon, OZ Arab MediaRising living costs and surging commodity prices, particularly for consumer goods, pose recurring challenges for many countries around the world.
Channel 23, MTV Lebanon, Lebanon FilesAt its session held at the Grand Serail last Monday, September 22, the Cabinet approved the 2026 budget, which would have been nearly identical to the 2025 budget had its expenditures not risen by 13.59% over its predecessor.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab Media"No state without state employees" was a slogan raised recently by public sector employees at one of their demonstrations to demand an adjustment to their salaries, which have fallen to unprecedented levels.
Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal, MTV Lebanon, Lebanese Army MagazineIn a move that sparked considerable controversy and questioning, the government resorted at its meeting late last May to linking the financing of the financial grant for military personnel, both in active service and in retirement, to an increase in levies on fuel.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, MTV LebanonThe election of General Joseph Aoun as President of the Lebanese Republic opens new horizons for a Lebanese economy mired in multiple, overlapping crises.
Channel 23, MTV Lebanon, Lebanese Army MagazineAlongside the humanitarian and social suffering caused by the persistent Israeli attacks on Lebanon, these attacks portend severe economic repercussions that grow day by day as the aggression continues and expands.
Channel 23, LinkedIn, Lebanon FilesFor the fifth year, Lebanon has been struggling in an economic and financial crisis because of the escalation of the political dispute between Lebanese parties in power.
LinkedIn, OZ Arab MediaFor the fifth consecutive year, Lebanon remains mired in its financial and economic crisis and its repercussions, driven by worsening political divisions among the ruling factions that have escalated into a systemic crisis preventing the formulation of sustainable solutions to the crises battering the country and the containment of their fallout.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, Radar NewsEvery time the caretaker government approves arbitrary increases in salaries and wages, the fears of the economic bodies grow over the repercussions of these increases on the national currency, backed in their positions and forecasts by certain "economic experts." These experts argue that the salary and wage hike enacted by law in 2017 was one of the main factors that caused the financial and economic collapse that struck Lebanon at the end of 2019, ignoring the role of rampant corruption in state administration and the scale of waste, which exceeds the size of those increases dozens of times over.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaThe revelation of the World Bank loan to the Ministry of Finance and how it is to be spent, particularly the part relating to "financing linked to good performance conditions," sparked a sweeping wave of objections, especially since what is meant by good performance financing is funding bonuses for Ministry of Finance employees, or some of them, over a period of three years.
Channel 23, OZ Arab Media, Lebanon FilesThe salaries and wages of public sector employees and of the military and security services continue to stagnate at low levels compared with the general price level of goods and services, confirming that linking the financial and economic crisis battering Lebanon to the size and cost of the public sector defies the truth.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaThe 2024 budget passed by Parliament has revealed the caretaker government's persistence in evading its responsibility to find a solution to the financial and economic crisis ravaging Lebanon.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaAs the pace of Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon and the war of extermination against the Palestinians escalates, a sense of anxiety is spreading among the Lebanese that the Israeli war could expand to include Lebanon.
Channel 23, Radar News, OZ Arab MediaThe repercussions of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, which was launched on October 7, 2023, are widening to reach the eastern Mediterranean and perhaps the entire Middle East, after the reverberations of this operation swept across the countries of the region in various and differing forms.
Channel 23, Lebanon Files, Radar NewsIn the wake of the report by the directors of the International Monetary Fund on the Lebanese economy, debate has returned to focus on the causes that brought the country and its economy to collapse, ways out of the crisis, and how to revive the national economy across all its productive and service sectors.
Lebanon Files, OZ Arab MediaSince being declared a special economic zone in 2001, the Jordanian city of Aqaba has undergone sweeping economic, urban, and tourism transformations that have reinforced its role as the kingdom's maritime gateway and an integrated hub for trade, industry, and logistics services.
OZ Arab Media, Lebanon FilesSince its declaration as a special economic zone in 2001, the Jordanian city of Aqaba has undergone sweeping economic, urban, and tourism transformations that have strengthened its role as the Kingdom's maritime gateway and an integrated hub for trade, industry, and logistics services.
MTV LebanonWhat arouses suspicion regarding the abolition of retirement pensions and indemnities for the public sector is that it aligns with the orientations and recommendations of the International Monetary Fund on the one hand, and the government's lack of hesitation in complying with the dictates of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank on the other.
Channel 23In the wake of the forty-eighth anniversary of the martyrdom of the Teacher, Kamal Jumblatt, the importance of reflecting on this extraordinary figure in the history of Lebanon and the Arab world comes to the fore, especially as he was the man who combined philosophy and politics, aristocracy and the struggle for justice and equality.
Channel 23, Anbaa Online, Lebanon FilesAmid the political and media clamor accompanying regional developments and their repercussions on Lebanon, certain scribes step forward to attack the national leader Walid Jumblatt and criticize his political stances, which do not align with the whims of their handlers and benefactors.
Anbaa OnlineIt escapes the notice of those who presumptuously assail the national leader Walid Jumblatt that whenever crises grow more complex and dangers intensify, his name comes to the fore as the bold leader most capable of reading subtle shifts in Lebanon and the region and foreseeing the future.
Anbaa OnlineLebanon's financial and economic crisis has been worsening since it came into the open at the end of October 2019, with no serious initiatives on the horizon to halt the protracted collapse that has wiped out the life earnings and savings of the Lebanese, struck at the foundations of the national economy, and curtailed its prospects for growth and development.
OZ Arab Media