orld Bank Managing Director of Operations Anna Bjerde has arrived on a two-day visit to Lebanon to engage with stakeholders on the latest socio-economic developments in the country and reaffirm the World Bank’s strong support to Lebanon at a time of difficulty. She is accompanied by Ousmane Dione, the new Middle East and North Africa Vice President.

During their visit, Bjerde and Dione will meet with Lebanese officials, development partners and other stakeholder groups.  Together with WFP Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau, they will meet with beneficiaries of the World Bank financed Emergency Social Safety Net project to assess firsthand the impact of targeted social protection assistance provided to the poorest and most vulnerable Lebanese households through DAEM, the first fully digitalized national social registry.

The visit will discuss the World Bank’s support to the implementation of urgent reforms critical to lay the ground for Lebanon’s economic recovery. Discussions will also cover envisaged World Bank support over the coming few years, notably in ensuring water security, increasing low-cost renewable energy supply and digitalizing public services, to help the country transition to a medium- and longer-term development path, building on analytical work and reports that aim to inform public debate and policy formulation.