Description
Biography and discussion of Riad Salameh begins at 22:30.
Ben and Nizar are back with the news of past week, including the concerning spike in coronavirus case numbers ahead of touted new measures to contain the virus, political chatter on Lebanon's neutrality, the lira's continuing volatility, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian's visit, and a decision to conduct a forensic audit of Banque du Liban (BDL).
Our main topic this week, on the back of an FT scoop that $6bn of "other assets" on BDL's balance sheet were the result of “seignorage on financial stability” whose value was determined by Governor Riad Salameh, is the man himself. We take a look at Salameh from his private sector work, through his 27-year tenure as BDL governor, to the controversies surrounding him and his financial engineering policies today.
Links referenced:
https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/07BEIRUT794_a.html
https://www.ft.com/content/d2d63b9b-9669-4ec0-93e9-ed97cbeb9261
Music track: Zuhal by Elepheel, check out his other work @elepheel
In Lebanon's first election since the Oct. 17 uprising, voters sent a sizable contingent of change candidates to Parliament, while clipping the wings of both Amal and the Free Patriotic Movement. Nizar and Ben take a look at the vote, its translation to seats in Parliament, the new MPs, and what...
Published 05/22/22
Ahead of Sunday's national elections, Nizar and Ben run through what to expect, both in terms of voting and results — and what's in store for Lebanon in the aftermath.
Follow us on Twitter for updates @lebpoliticspod
Music track: Zuhal by Elepheel, check out his other work @elepheel
Published 05/14/22