Lebanon Appeals for Import Aid as Crisis Deepens
BEIRUT (Dispatches) – Lebanon says it has asked friendly states to help finance imports of essential goods, as sources say France is planning an international meeting to mobilize support for its former colony’s deep economic crisis.
Caretaker Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri said on Friday that his office had sent an appeal for assistance in securing credit for imports of food and raw materials for manufacturing.
The appeal was sent to Saudi Arabia, France, Russia, Turkey, the United States, China, and Egypt, Hariri said in a statement.
Lebanon is grappling with the worst financial strains since its 1975-1990 civil war.
Saad al-Hariri resigned as prime minister on October 29 under pressure from protesters, who accuse the ruling elite of pushing Lebanon towards political turmoil at a time of acute economic crisis.
Hariri said at the time that he had reached a "dead end” in trying to resolve the economic crisis, which has been further complicated by violence on the streets.
Amid progress in talks on forming a new cabinet, fresh clashes erupted between police and anti-government protesters in the Lebanese capital city of Beirut on Wednesday.
The protests broke out in Lebanon on October 17, when the government introduced a set of economic austerity measures.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun says carrying out essential reforms and fighting corruption in the country will be among the new government’s top priorities.
The new government will be formed quickly and its priorities will include "achieving the essential reforms in different sectors” and fighting corruption, Aoun said on Thursday during a meeting with heads of professional syndicates.
Currently, Lebanese political parties are engaged in negotiations to resolve the cabinet crisis.
Hariri, who is still serving in a caretaker capacity, told reporters on Tuesday that he backed Lebanese businessman Samir al-Khatib to head the next cabinet, adding, however, that "some details” still had to be hashed out.
Hariri also said that he would not take part in the new Lebanese government.
Khatib is an executive vice president of Khatib & Alami engineering company.
He reportedly met Lebanon’s caretaker foreign minister, Gebran Bassil, at the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday after holding talks with President Aoun at Baabda Palace to gain their support for the premiership.
A source familiar with the cabinet formation process said Khatib was seeking to promote a 24-member techno-political administration, which would also include representatives of Lebanese protesters, The Daily Star newspaper reported.
Caretaker Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri said on Friday that his office had sent an appeal for assistance in securing credit for imports of food and raw materials for manufacturing.
The appeal was sent to Saudi Arabia, France, Russia, Turkey, the United States, China, and Egypt, Hariri said in a statement.
Lebanon is grappling with the worst financial strains since its 1975-1990 civil war.
Saad al-Hariri resigned as prime minister on October 29 under pressure from protesters, who accuse the ruling elite of pushing Lebanon towards political turmoil at a time of acute economic crisis.
Hariri said at the time that he had reached a "dead end” in trying to resolve the economic crisis, which has been further complicated by violence on the streets.
Amid progress in talks on forming a new cabinet, fresh clashes erupted between police and anti-government protesters in the Lebanese capital city of Beirut on Wednesday.
The protests broke out in Lebanon on October 17, when the government introduced a set of economic austerity measures.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun says carrying out essential reforms and fighting corruption in the country will be among the new government’s top priorities.
The new government will be formed quickly and its priorities will include "achieving the essential reforms in different sectors” and fighting corruption, Aoun said on Thursday during a meeting with heads of professional syndicates.
Currently, Lebanese political parties are engaged in negotiations to resolve the cabinet crisis.
Hariri, who is still serving in a caretaker capacity, told reporters on Tuesday that he backed Lebanese businessman Samir al-Khatib to head the next cabinet, adding, however, that "some details” still had to be hashed out.
Hariri also said that he would not take part in the new Lebanese government.
Khatib is an executive vice president of Khatib & Alami engineering company.
He reportedly met Lebanon’s caretaker foreign minister, Gebran Bassil, at the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday after holding talks with President Aoun at Baabda Palace to gain their support for the premiership.
A source familiar with the cabinet formation process said Khatib was seeking to promote a 24-member techno-political administration, which would also include representatives of Lebanese protesters, The Daily Star newspaper reported.