Report: U.S. Assistance for Lebanon Conditional for Reform

A U.S. official in Lebanon reportedly said “no one wants to see the country fall” and that assistance for the crisis-hit nation is closely related to its implementation of the needed reforms, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.

“No one in the world wants to bring down Lebanon or wants to see this nation fall, but we rather want to extend help which depends on the reforms that must be taken and a clear plan in this context, as well as a clear economic vision,” the daily quoted a US official as telling a group of lawmakers in Lebanon.

Similarly, the representative of the World Bank had earlier expressed willingness to assist Lebanon, provided that the required and urgent reforms are undertaken, which were also emphasized by the United Nations Representative in Lebanon, Jan Kubis, stated the daily.

Kubis had stressed in a statement that Lebanon’s “government needs to implement a meaningful reform package, to break with the corrupt practices of the past, to promote justice, transparency, and accountability.

“Only following such approach would make it possible to gain confidence of the people, that is currently wanting. It is important to give the government a chance. He further observed that “if the government’s actions are attuned to the thinking, the demands and the aspirations of the people, that would be helpful, also to mobilize international support.”