The meeting focused on economic and financial relations between Lebanon and the United States. Prime Minister Salam outlined the progress made by his government in implementing financial and banking reforms, as well as the steps underway to address the consequences of Lebanon’s financial crisis and rebuild the banking sector.
The discussions also covered Lebanon’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and its cooperation with the World Bank. Salam called for U.S. support for Lebanon’s efforts to advance both tracks and secure the assistance needed to implement the country’s economic reform and recovery program.
The meeting further addressed the government’s efforts to combat the cash-based economy and reduce the use of cash outside the formal financial system. Discussions also focused on strengthening transparency and compliance, as well as combating money laundering and terrorist financing, with the aim of restoring confidence in Lebanon’s financial sector and strengthening its integration into the international financial system.
In this context, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a post on X that decisive action is needed to disrupt Iranian and Hezbollah financial networks, linking this effort to the importance of implementing key reforms in Lebanon’s financial sector and restoring confidence in the country’s banking system.