Six years after the financial, banking and economic collapse of 2019, and two years into the Hezbollah war with Israel, new leadership emerged in Lebanon in early 2025 committed not only to restoring sovereignty and a monopoly of arms, but also undertaking long overdue financial, banking and economic reforms. And while political and military talks take place in Washington, DC, the conditions of the Lebanese economy—on which state and the population depend—and the pathway toward reform and recovery remain of paramount importance.
What are the current conditions of the Lebanese economy? How much is the latest escalation of conflict creating additional burdens? What reforms are most urgently needed to restore confidence in the Lebanese economy and attract investment? What are the prospects for stabilization and growth if security conditions improve? What role can international partners play in supporting recovery and reconstruction? How does an revived Lebanese economy plug into its regional geoeconomic and environment, and how does economic recovery fit into the broader effort to strengthen Lebanese sovereignty, rebuild state institutions, and secure a more stable future for the country?
To explore these questions and more, please join the CSIS Middle East Program for a discussion with H.E. Amer Bisat, Minister of Economy and Trade for the Republic of Lebanon. The conversation will include Mona Yacoubian, CSIS Middle East Program Senior and Director and will be moderated by Dr. Paul Salem, CSIS Middle East Program Non-resident Senior Associate on Monday, June 8 at 9:00 AM EDT.
H.E. Amer Bisat, PhD., began his career as a senior economist at the International Monetary Fund, where he helped negotiate high-profile programs with Russia, Ukraine, and Egypt. In 1998, he moved into international financial markets, taking on senior portfolio management positions at Morgan Stanley and UBS. In 2013, he joined BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, as Global Head of Emerging Markets Fixed Income and a member of the Fixed Income Executive Committee. Dr. Bisat has taught graduate-level economics courses at Columbia University, co-authored a book on globalization, and written multiple academic and policy papers on growth and financial sector development. He has served as chairman of the Arab Banking Association of North America and is a trustee of a number of cultural and art institutions, as well as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Dr. Bisat earned a BA from the American University of Beirut and a PhD. in economics and finance from Columbia University.
This event is online-only and will be livestreamed on this webpage.
This event is made possible by generous support to the CSIS Middle East Program from the embassies of Canada, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, and Ray Debbane.
