The Faculty of Business Administration at Beirut Arab University organized the "Annual Economy Day" under the title "The Lebanese Economy 2025: Promises of Advancement and Reconstruction," in the presence of Member of Parliament H.E. Waddah Al Sadek, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Bir Wal Ihsan, Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees Dr. Ammar Houry, Secretary- General of the University Dr. Omar Houri, Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration Professor Mohamed Abdel Azim Abo El-Naga, and a crowd of economists, academics, and interested people.
The conference started with the Lebanese national anthem and the university anthem. Then it was divided into two sessions, the first session dealt with the issue of "Economic Reforms and Structural Adjustments." The former Minister of Economy Dr. Alain Hakim, the Director General of the Ministry of Economy and Trade Dr. Mohammad Abou Haidar, and the Head of Economics Department at the Lebanese American University Professor Ali Fakih, Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration, and Head of the Economics Department at Beirut Arab University Professor Hanadi Taher participated in this session. It was moderated by the Secretary of the Association of North Metn Industrialists and university lecturer Dr. Taleb Saad.
The lecturers addressed the issue of the economic and financial crisis that the Lebanese economy has been going through since 2019, and that 2025 is a pivotal year that holds promises of gradual recovery. Besides, there are also a number of reform laws that are currently being studied, including laws of restructuring banks to facilitate understanding with the International Monetary Fund.
The lecturers also stressed the need to strengthen the role of the private sector and rely on digital transformation to develop Lebanon’s economy. This is a step to transfer confidence from the private sector to the public sector through an effective partnership that constitutes an essential lever to drive growth “.
The second session discussed the issue of "Lebanese Monetary Policy and the Future of Banks," where it was moderated by the journalist Mr. Bassel El Khatib, with the participation of Professor Maroun Khater from Saint Joseph University, the lawyer Dr. Pascal Daher, professor of law specialized in judicial oversight of central banks, and Dr. Rafia Khalil, head of the corporate department at SGBL Bank.
The lecturers described the current Lebanese crisis as "a crisis of irregular and artificial legal deviations, because it occurred due to the commission of a number of serious errors and violations, with participation of the banking sector, and the first step in the right direction is to announce that deposits shall return to their owners, the rule of law shall be established, and the judiciary shall carry out its duties."
At the end of the conference, the economists promised to follow up the raised problems and bring them to the competent higher authorities.
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