Aoun Emphasizes Cooperation Between Parliament and Cabinet on Reforms During Meeting with IMF Delegation

President Joseph Aoun met Tuesday with a visiting delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), reaffirming Lebanon’s commitment to pursuing critical financial and economic reforms to achieve recovery.

The delegation was led by Ernesto Ramirez Rigo, the IMF’s mission chief for Lebanon, and included Resident Representative Frederico Lima as well as IMF officials Maya Choueiri and Mira Maalouf. The meeting at the presidential palace was part of the team’s ongoing visit to assess Lebanon’s economic progress and hold talks with top officials.

Rigo told President Aoun that the Fund remains ready to support Lebanon in advancing its reform process, which he described as essential to reviving the country’s economy. He highlighted the IMF’s past assistance and outlined the main policy directions the Fund recommends for Lebanon moving forward.

The IMF official also briefed the president on discussions held a day earlier with several Lebanese ministers and key stakeholders, noting that while some progress has been made, several critical points still require further study and follow-up. He stressed that Lebanon continues to be a priority for the IMF, particularly now that the government has initiated steps to restructure its finances.

In response, Aoun welcomed the delegation and thanked the IMF for its continued engagement with Lebanon. He underscored the government’s determination to strengthen the country’s economic and financial systems, noting that several reforms and key appointments had already been approved.

Aoun pledged to provide the necessary support to facilitate the IMF mission’s work, while acknowledging the severe challenges Lebanon is currently facing across multiple sectors. He emphasized that cooperation between Parliament and the Cabinet was ongoing to complete the reform process, which he said was primarily a domestic necessity, not merely a response to international pressure.