Building Lebanon’s Sovereignty and the State - Policy Paper - Middle East

Building Lebanon’s Sovereignty and the State Policy Paper Middle East Program A About the Lebanon Ideas Forum The Middle East Program’s Lebanon Ideas Forum (LIF) fosters the exchange of ideas and discussions on political, economic, and social developments pertaining to Lebanon, and its impact on the wider Middle East region and international community. [...] The Middle East Program’s meetings, conferences, and reports assess the policy implica- tions of regional political, economic, and social developments, the Middle East’s role in the global arena, American interests in the region, strategic threats to and from the regional states, and the impact and future prospects of the region’s energy resources. [...] However, a renewed focus on restoring Lebanese sovereignty and making the central state relevant and effective is both necessary and possible to stop Lebanon’s descent into a figurative jungle and return it to a path toward stability and pros- perity.  The United States has a strong, bipartisan record of supporting the Lebanese state and advo- cating for restored sovereignty. Assistance for the Le. [...] Without restoration of confidence in the Lebanese currency, central bank, and financial sector, bad actors will increasingly dominate the economy and politics of Lebanon at the expense of the state, which will continue to disintegrate in the absence of revenue and relevance. [...] This choice will be an early test of the political leadership’s commitment to true reform. The appointee should have the experience and profile that will help restore both domestic and international confidence in the office and enable the new incumbent to work with the government to stabilize the nation’s currency and foreign reserves and reform the financial sector. Regaining international confid.