{"id":5392,"date":"2020-07-18T23:14:38","date_gmt":"2020-07-19T02:14:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/?p=5392"},"modified":"2020-07-19T09:37:03","modified_gmt":"2020-07-19T12:37:03","slug":"sky-news-lebanon-a-failed-state-amid-a-crippling-economic-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/index.php\/2020\/07\/18\/sky-news-lebanon-a-failed-state-amid-a-crippling-economic-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Sky News: “Lebanon: A ‘failed state’ amid a crippling economic crisis”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Even if “the economic crisis in Lebanon has turned the country into a failed state<\/em>“, is it true that “there is light at the end of the tunnel<\/em>“, to use the words of the Lebanese current Economy and Trade Minister?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is hard to see that light of hope when we hear sad stories from Beirut each day. The latest is about the American University of Beirut- Medical Centre<\/em> (AUBMC; https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/American_University_of_Beirut<\/a>) laying off over 500 staff (some local Lebanese media reported a total of 850 employees).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Lebanon (already) a “failed” state, at least economically speaking? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If so, how do so-called “failed states” recover eventually? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It seems logical to think that the political elite of a “failed state” must start by taking responsibility for their state’s failures, instead of blaming external forces or challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only such mindset can lead to a national reform plan. The latter (or anything that seriously looks like it) is what is expected by the IMF or any other foreign investor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, Lebanon’s road to recovery will be a very long process that will require a genuine commitment to that reform plan, along with citizen’s patience (if at all possible, despite what has been done to them!). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without this commitment, there is NO “light at the end of the tunnel”…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n