Finance minister takes Lebanon's reform pledge to IMF talks in Bangkok

Lebanon's Finance Minister Yassine Jaber met IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on 13 October on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank meetings in Bangkok, according to Qatar News Agency.

He reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to economic reforms and macroeconomic stability and said he hopes to secure an IMF-supported programme, the agency reported.

Jaber also asked both institutions to help mobilise humanitarian, emergency and reconstruction financing, saying the conflict in the south has displaced residents, damaged infrastructure and strained public services.

As Lebanese Lobby has reported, donors increasingly tie aid to reforms and to the state's monopoly on arms. An IMF deal will depend on delivery, not pledges.