Beirut: Minister of Finance, Yassine Jaber, on Monday held a meeting with a delegation from the French Development Agency (AFD), attended by French Ambassador Herv© Magro, AFD Director General R©my Rioux, and French Senator Loc Herv©, alongside members of the delegation. Also present were Director General of Finance Georges Maarawi, advisers Claudine Karky, Zeina Qassem, and Hossam Diab, and Abdnor, an expert from the French Treasury.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, discussions focused on ongoing cooperation between Lebanon and France, particularly with the Ministry of Finance. The French delegation reviewed joint initiatives, including technical assistance for budget planning, financial support to SMEs through Proparco, and aid to the Lebanese Red Cross via the International Red Cross.
The French side reiterated France's intention to remain at the forefront of international support for Lebanon, citing its pound 75 million contribution to the World Bank's newly established trust fund and efforts to organize a donor and investor conference to revitalize Lebanon's economy.
The delegation praised Minister Jaber's medium-term fiscal framework, presented at the IMF meetings in Washington, describing it as 'a positive and pragmatic roadmap' toward reaching an IMF agreement.
In turn, Minister Jaber outlined Lebanon's fiscal reform progress, highlighting improved tax compliance and customs revenues that led to a budget surplus, and discussed ongoing work on the financial gap law and bank restructuring legislation.
Moreover, the Minister emphasized the urgency of finalizing an IMF program to safeguard stability and thanked France for its sustained support, noting the strategic importance of the Iraq-Syria-Lebanon land connectivity project, which he described as a 'vital regional economic artery.'