# Lebanon's Road to Recovery: A Struggle for Change Amidst Chaos

In the aftermath of a devastating war, Lebanon's new finance minister warns of urgent reforms needed to attract crucial international financial assistance.

On his first day in office, Lebanon’s newly appointed finance minister, Yassine Jaber, confronted a grim reality as he reviewed a color-coded report highlighting the dire conditions of the ministry's operations. Alarmingly, much of the report was marked in red, signifying critical dysfunction. The ministry’s technological infrastructure is outdated; some computers still operate on software from the 1990s, emblematic of a broader systemic inefficiency that has allowed corruption to thrive.

“To continue operating as we have been is no longer an option,” Jaber lamented. Attracting necessary financial aid will depend on making substantial changes to restore faith in the government’s ability to manage funds. Despite its dire need for assistance due to an ongoing economic crisis, Lebanon has struggled for years to implement the significant financial and governance reforms required to unlock billions in international aid.

The urgency for these reforms has intensified following a brutal 14-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia with significant influence over Lebanon’s political landscape. As peace remains fragile, vast areas of the country lie in ruins, and Hezbollah now faces insolvency, rendering it unable to fund reconstruction efforts. Unfortunately, Lebanon’s government, already stretched thin, can afford “frankly none” of the necessary financing for rebuilding, according to Jaber.

International donors hold the key to Lebanon’s recovery, but securing their support hinges on the government’s willingness to undertake painful economic reforms and confront the contentious issue of Hezbollah's weaponry. "Foreign aid is not simply a handout," remarked Paul Salem, the vice president for international engagement at the Middle East Institute in Washington, highlighting that the provision of aid is contingent upon the respect of their stipulated conditions. Without real changes, Lebanon remains at a critical juncture, teetering between aid and further decline.