Originally posted to the Reuters website, 18 September 2019
RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia is in discussions with the Lebanese government about providing financial support, Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan said on Wednesday.
“We continue to believe and put our money and commitment in Lebanon, we’ll continue to support Lebanon and we are working with its government,” Jadaan said in an interview with Reuters.
A Lebanese official source said Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri “has been talking to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at a high level about support” and would stop in Riyadh on his way to France where he is due to meet President Emmanuel Macron on Friday.
Work is underway to convene a meeting in October of a high-level Lebanese-Saudi ministerial council that would witness the signing of agreements between the countries including investments in Lebanon, the Lebanese official source added.
The meeting, to be held in Saudi Arabia, would be chaired on the Lebanese side by Hariri and by a senior Saudi official.
Lebanon’s dollar-denominated government bonds rose on the Saudi finance minister’s comments. The 2037 issue XS1586230309=TE gained 1.9 cents to 64.88 cents in the dollar, while the 2029 paper XS1419879769=TE added 1.8 cents to 64.00 cents in the dollar, according to Tradeweb data.
One of the world’s most heavily indebted states, Lebanon is aiming to drive through long-postponed reforms to put the public finances on a sustainable path.
The impetus has grown due to a stagnant economy and a slow down in the inflow of hard currency from Lebanese abroad that has long been a key source of financing for the state and current account deficits.
Link to the original post: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-lebanon-aid/saudi-arabia-in-talks-with-lebanon-about-financial-aid-saudi-finmin-idUSKBN1W31JW
