The Middle East Institute’s Lebanon Program, in partnership with LIFE Lebanon and the Lebanese American University’s Institute for Social Justice and Conflict Resolution (ISJCR), invites you to an interactive fireside chat with Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Saade Chami to discuss the latest developments in Lebanon’s financial and socio-economic crises in light of the ongoing IMF negotiations.
The danger and opportunity of the moment
Lebanon s post-Taif political establishment and overall system of governance have consistently imposed on the Lebanese people a tradeoff between justice and civil peace. When the civil war ended, a general amnesty law in 1991 shielded the country’s warlords from prosecution and paved the way for sectarian power-sharing in times of peace. Anything but war, people thought. When the Hariri tribunal issued a tempered and yet clearly incriminating verdict in 2020, its findings went unimplemented for fear of triggering Hezbollah and stirring sectarian strife. Anything but more war, people continued to think. At every critical juncture over the past 30 years, the Lebanese have had to pay twice: first when tragedy hits, and then when it goes grossly unpunished. More often than not, it feels as if Lebanon wants the truth but doesn’t know what to do with it.
The Middle East Institute’s Lebanon Program is pleased to host its inaugural Lebanon Policy Conference in collaboration with the American Task Force on Lebanon and LIFE. This two-part series of events will take place on May 26-27 and June 1-4 to tackle the urgency and viable paths forward for Lebanon's political, financial and humanitarian crises.