Beirut: Finance Minister Yassine Jaber on Thursday said regional tensions were placing additional pressure on Lebanon's economy, but stressed that reform and restoring confidence were essential to reconstruction and renewed growth. Speaking at a dialogue hosted by the Makassed Alumni Association in Beirut, Jaber highlighted the importance of an agreement with the International Monetary Fund as a signal of Lebanon's commitment to a credible recovery path. He emphasized that such an agreement could help unlock international support, investment, and reconstruction funding.

According to National News Agency - Lebanon, Jaber noted that economic recovery in Lebanon also required restructuring the banking sector, protecting depositors' rights, and restoring banks' role in financing investment and production. He added that the Finance Ministry was expanding its digital transformation program to simplify procedures, reduce bureaucracy, strengthen transparency, and improve public services.

Jaber pointed out that Lebanon still possessed significant strengths, including its human capital, private sector, diaspora, and ties with Arab countries, particularly Gulf states. However, he warned that recovery depended on rebuilding trust in state institutions and the financial system.