Guterres in Beirut tomorrow to call for reforms implementation
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In light of the deepening political and economic crisis in Lebanon, UN Secretary-General will arrive in Beirut tomorrow to call for the implementation of reforms to put the distressed country back on track.
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Guterres: Lasting solutions can only come from the heart of Lebanon.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will arrive in Beirut tomorrow, Sunday, for a three-day official visit to Lebanon.
In a message to the Lebanese people, Guterres said that lasting solutions can only come from the heart of Lebanon, calling on Lebanese leaders to "implement the reforms needed to set Lebanon back on track, including efforts to promote accountability and transparency, and root out corruption."
The Secretary-General considered that "next year’s elections will be key ... and Lebanon’s people must be fully engaged in choosing how the country moves forward."
“Women and young people must have every opportunity to play their full part.  This is the only way Lebanon will lay the foundations for a better future,” he said, adding that “the United Nations will support Lebanon on every step of this journey.”
Some help, the US imposes more sanctions
In the same context, the White House announced that the US administration is working in coordination with France on Lebanon and is studying "imposing sanctions on failed politicians," as he put it.
The European Union foreign ministers had previously stressed the need to form a government in Lebanon in order to "avoid the country's collapse", and to be fully capable of implementing reforms and protecting the people.
They also agreed to move forward with imposing sanctions on the ruling political class in Lebanon, against the backdrop of the political crisis in the country.
Two days ago, the International Monetary Fund announced that it is examining the data submitted to it by the Lebanese government a week ago, on the financial sector losses, which it currently estimates at about $68 billion, according to a spokesperson for the financial institution, Jerry Rice, last Thursday.
This was preceded by a visit by an IMF delegation to Lebanon, which included in particular the Assistant Director in charge of the Middle East and the Head of the Mission for Lebanon. This visit was preceded by other visits during the past months.
