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Washington, DC, June 30, 2020 (ATFL) – The American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL), a not-for-profit organization of Americans of Lebanese heritage who work in support of a strong US-Lebanon relationship, expresses its strong dismay at the controversy surrounding the rejection by a judge in Tyre of the right of US Ambassador Dorothy Shea to mention the negative role that she perceives Hezbollah plays in Lebanon. On Saturday, Judge Mohammed Mazeh issued an order banning local and foreign media organizations from interviewing or hosting Ambassador Shea for a year.
 
One of the key hallmarks of Lebanese society has been openness to public expressions of positions on a range of issues. The judge’s ruling is not only a violation of this principle of free speech but is inappropriate in the context of diplomatic relations between countries.
 
The ATFL encourages the Lebanese government to forcefully reject this intrusion into US-Lebanon political affairs and restate its commitment to free speech and discourse by dismissing this threat against international and domestic media in Lebanon.

Washington, DC, June 8, 2020 (ATFL) – The American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of Americans of Lebanese ancestry working to promote strong ties between the US and Lebanon, are deeply concerned with  events surrounding the demonstrations in Lebanon on June 6.
 
The ATFL strongly supports the rights of the Lebanese people to demonstrate peacefully to achieve their goals for political, economic, and social reforms to allow them to live in dignity in an inclusive and equitable society.
 
The ATFL regrets that injuries were sustained by some of the demonstrators, condemns the violence that took place between small groups of demonstrators, and the unnecessary damage done to public and private property which distracts from the core messages of the demonstrators.
 
The ATFL further condemns the violence that took place between some demonstrators and the Army which resulted in several casualties of the LAF, one seriously. The ATFL continues to support the LAF as the only legitimate military force in the country and will maintain its efforts to promote the very strong ties between the LAF and the US government, and their mission to protect the citizens of Lebanon.
 

Washington, DC, April 23, 2020 (ATFL) – The American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL) hosted an informative discussion between U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea and the ATFL leadership team in a background briefing call yesterday morning. Call participants discussed Lebanon’s new government, the country’s dire humanitarian situation, and its economic crisis. ATFL was pleased to hear that the U.S. Embassy in Beirut recently secured $13.3 million in US aid to Lebanon.

All participants ended the conversation with shared aspirations of strengthening US-Lebanon relations by continuing to involve the Lebanese-American community.

ATFL is pleased to work towards its mission to support the US-Lebanese relationship by continuing to host these types of dialogues.

 
The American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL) has prepared the following analysis and recommendations for restructuring the Lebanese economy and ensuring the overall health of the country in light of the country’s decision to restructure its Eurobond debt.
 

Executive Summary

 
The March 7 announcement that Lebanon will suspend paying its $1.2bn Eurobond payment due on March 9 confirmed the reality that the government is unable to continue living beyond its means and must now negotiate with its creditors to restructure its debt. The restructuring will have severe consequences for local banks which hold a significant portion of the debt. The banks have instituted informal capital controls that have made it virtually impossible for Lebanese to access their dollar or lira accounts, thus driving more Lebanese into poverty, forcing businesses to close, and jobs eliminated or cut back. 
 
Recommendations – Details follow the summary
In order for Lebanon to develop sound short, medium, and long term recovery strategies, the ATFL offers the following recommendations regarding the fiscal and economic crisis:
 

• Improved, transparent, and regular communications with the Lebanese people and the international community concerning steps the government is taking. 

• Engage a broad spectrum of Lebanese in formulating policies to support reforms and restructuring.

• Treat the fiscal and banking crises as two sides of the same coin as the deficits have accumulated due to poor fiscal management and a lack of transparent governance.

• It is critical that primary attention focus on protecting the poor and lower and middle classes who are disproportionately impacted by the public debt, failure of the banking system, and the need to restructure the borrowing. 

• Reducing the budget deficit and restructuring the public debt will take several years but immediate steps can be taken and are well known. Throughout the process, those with fewer resources to survive the reforms needed should be protected by a well-thought out, managed, and monitored support program.

• Lebanon should welcome technical assistance and help from the IMF to decide on credible and realistic actions.

• Steps to increase revenues include a fair, transparent, and independent tax regime, customs authority, and auditing process. Subsidies to inefficient public entities such as the power sector, telecommunications, and other government agencies have to be dealt will in the short term. Revenues can also be generated through selling unused government assets and eliminating corruption the contracting and the illegal use of public lands.

• Government reform efforts should begin by guaranteeing an independent judiciary and regulatory agencies to ensure accountability and transparency.

• International donors are an integral part of any recovery strategy and there is unanimous agreement that Lebanon must undertake significant reforms to qualify for any meaningful assistance. This should not prohibit the provision of humanitarian support directly to beneficiaries through civil society, social service, and NGO communities.

Washington, DC, January 23, 2020 (ATFL) – On Tuesday, January 21, Hassan Diab, Lebanon’s prime minister designate, announced the formation of a new cabinet, which still must be confirmed by the Parliament. 

ATFL reiterates its belief that any new Government must act immediately and transparently to implement fiscal, economic, political, and social reforms that reflect the needs of the Lebanese people and their desire for an inclusive, non-sectarian, and credible government.

ATFL also believes that the US should continue its strong support for the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces in their capacity as the sole legitimate military entities in the country.

The ATFL will continue to work with the US government to ensure US support for the need for economic and political reforms built on transparent, proactive, and effective governance. 

Equally important, we call on the Lebanese government, and especially the Lebanese Armed Forces and security services, to protect the rights of the citizens and ensure that they can express themselves without fear of reprisal. Recent protests and reactions by the security forces demonstrate the dangers of a cycle of increasing violence.

Furthermore, the impoverishment of many people in Lebanon, now over a third of which are living in poverty, is a crisis that calls for immediate action. ATFL calls on international aid agencies to prioritize programs that provide emergency food, medicine, and other vital supplies to the Lebanese people.

ATFL remains committed to ensuring that Lebanon’s relationship with the US remains a priority and that the US remains an active partner in safeguarding and enhancing the lives of the Lebanese people.

Washington, DC, December 16, 2019 (ATFL) – Last week, the International Support Group (ISG) for Lebanon met in Paris to review the challenging economic and political situation in Lebanon. In its final statement, the ISG expressed its concern that “preserving Lebanon’s stability, unity, security, sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity requires the urgent formation of an effective and credible government capable to meet the aspirations expressed by all the Lebanese that will have the capacity and credibility to deliver the necessary substantive policy package of economic reforms, and that will be committed to dissociate the country from regional tensions and crisis. It is urgent for the new government to be in place as quickly as possible.”
 
The ISG also noted that the country’s economy was at risk of unraveling and urgently needed a “substantial, credible, and comprehensive policy package of economic reforms to restore fiscal balance and financial stability and address long-lasting structural deficiencies in the Lebanese economy.” The statement mentioned that “These measures are of utmost importance to bring answers to the aspirations expressed by the Lebanese people,” adding the importance of a safety net to protect those who are suffering severe economic dislocation.
 
The ISG calls for a new government committed to a reform agenda in the 2020 national budget. Specific recommended steps are the passage of laws to promote transparency and counter corruption, fiscal policy reforms, implementation of regulations to deal with the “long-lasting deficiencies in the Lebanese economy,” measures to tackle debt and tax collection, setting up independent regulatory bodies, effective implementation of transparent procurement laws and reform of state-owned enterprises, beginning with the electricity sector.
 
Regarding the commitments of the CEDRE donors, the ISG called on the Lebanese government to immediately put in place the mechanisms needed to implement the approved projects “in line with the people’s needs and expectations.” A key caveat is that international support is contingent on concrete and rapid implementation of measures addressed in the statement.
 
Importantly, the ISG statement commended the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces “for their actions in securing the peaceful character of the protests and the rights of the citizens more broadly,” adding that “The Group reiterates that the right to peaceful protest must continue to be respected and call on all sides to act responsibly.”
 
As MP Yassin Jaber, the head of the Lebanese parliament’s foreign affairs committee said, the ISG conference delivered a clear message. “They have basically told us, ‘we still have you in mind, but please, for heaven’s sake, let us help you by you helping yourselves.’”
 
 
ATFL Perspective
Since the beginning of the demonstrations and in our report after visiting Lebanon this past summer, ATFL has called on the Lebanese government to adopt economic, social, and political policies that strengthen society and the economic well-being of its citizens. The points raised by the ISG are a critical to-do list for the government, starting with the formation of a government to oversee the restructuring and revamping of policies and projects.
 
The impoverishment of many people in Lebanon, now over half living in poverty, is a crisis that cannot be ignored. Actions must be taken in short order that directly address needs in sanitation, water resources, power, telecommunications, and adequate stocks of food, medicine, and fuel. ATFL calls on international aid agencies to prioritize programs that provide emergency food and other vital supplies to the Lebanese people.
 
We commend the demonstrators and the LAF and ISF for the largely peaceful nature of the protests, which are remarkable, cutting across all sects, ages, and regions of Lebanon. And we support the ISG’s statement calling for a government that is “committed to dissociate the country from regional tensions and crisis,” which are a diversion from the first priority of the country – the well-being of its people, a free society, and competent governance at all levels.
 
This past weekend’s troubling protests and reactions by the security forces demonstrate that the longer the stalemate remains the potential for violence increases. The postponement once again of the vote for Prime Minister is a clear indicator that change, significant change, in the leadership must be authentic and durable.
 
ATFL remains committed to ensuring that Lebanon’s relationship with the US remains a priority and that the US remains an active partner in safeguarding and enhancing the lives of the Lebanese people.

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[i] The ISG is co-chaired by France and the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon. Attending the meeting were China, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Kuwait, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, the European Union, the International Monetary Fund, the League of Arab States, the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, and a delegation from the Lebanese government.

Washington, DC, October 30, 2019 (ATFL) – Given the urgent need to form a new government responsive to the aspirations of the people of Lebanon, ATFL calls on the political, civil society, and business leaders to work together in the formation of a new government committed to meet the needs of its citizens. Such an effort must efficiently and effectively carry out reform policies to reduce corruption, protect the country’s sovereignty through support for the Lebanese Armed Forces and immediately begin to transparently implement fiscal, economic, political, and social reforms based on a national dialogue representing all interests of the country.

Most importantly, we call on the government, and especially the Armed Forces and security services, to protect the rights of the citizens and ensure they can express themselves without fear of reprisal.

Washington, DC, October 28, 2019 (ATFL) – As demonstrations continue for the second week in Lebanon there appears to be no consensus in the government to address key economic, fiscal, and political issues. The American Task Force for Lebanon (AFTL) reiterates its call for the Lebanese government and its allies to respect the civil and human rights of the demonstrators, eschewing violent responses, begin a comprehensive and inclusive national dialogue, and take concrete, immediate steps to address its political crisis and the impeding financial emergency due to a lack of liquidity in the banking system.
 
The government’s inability to seriously address needed reforms, the need for transparency in its governance, and a lack of commitment to reforms at all levels has only increased instability and further weakened the country’s economic and political integrity.
 
As we have said before, we believe it is critical for the government of Lebanon to recognize the underlying conditions that have generated the demonstrations taking place and the need to immediately address those conditions and concerns in order to peacefully find resolution in concert with the needs of the Lebanese citizens.
 
Most immediately, the United States government and other friends of Lebanon should prioritize infusions of capital into the banking system, under international controls, to avoid its massive failure which would significantly harm the Lebanese people.
 
ATFL calls on Lebanon’s leaders to take immediate steps to implement in good faith a dialogue regarding all of the reforms being raised, in a serious and trustworthy fashion with the people. Lebanon’s future as an independent, multi-sectarian, democratic state is at stake. The time for action, dialogue, and collaboration on workable solutions in the immediate and long term is now.