Lebanon opens IMF talks, hopes for preliminary deal by Friday

Lebanon opened a new round of negotiations with the IMF in Beirut on Tuesday, with Finance Minister Yassine Jaber saying the government hopes for a preliminary agreement by Friday and that passing the financial gap law is the essential step to unlocking a programme.

Why it matters: Lebanon has been in financial crisis since 2019, with a sovereign default, frozen deposits and a currency down more than 98 percent; an IMF programme is the recognised route to restructuring the banking sector and allocating its losses.

Data as of Arab News reporting from Beirut, November 10, 2026, read in full in this run, quoting Finance Minister Yassine Jaber and IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack; single outlet, so graded C. No programme amount is stated. Developing item.

A new round of negotiations between Lebanon and the International Monetary Fund began at the Finance Ministry in Beirut on Tuesday, and Finance Minister Yassine Jaber said the government hopes to reach a preliminary agreement by Friday that would pave the way to an IMF programme. Jaber said passing the draft financial gap law, still before Parliament, is essential to unlocking a programme, and that the state and the central bank would shoulder losses first, then commercial banks, with depositors bearing losses only as a last resort.

The IMF has said a new agreement requires continued banking and economic reforms, a 2027 budget and a medium term fiscal framework consistent with debt sustainability. The talks are the latest attempt to resolve a crisis that began in 2019 and has left depositors unable to reach their savings; Jaber said the legislative process should be completed no later than March 2027, with the final decision resting with Parliament.

Lebanon opens IMF talks, hopes for preliminary deal by Friday

Sources