Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated on Monday that he was working to launch "reforms on all levels" to attract investors to Lebanon, following more than a year of war between Hezbollah and Israel. He also warned about some estimates that might be revised upwards concerning the cost of rebuilding the country.

"We have launched reforms on all levels. We are working to rebuild state institutions and implement financial and economic reforms to attract investments because the days when Lebanon received donations are over," Salam said during an iftar organized by the Salam family, attended by, among others, former Prime Minister Tammam Salam.

"The initial estimates for reconstruction [after the war between Israel and Hezbollah] were $8 billion, then $11 billion. After an initial meeting with the World Bank, they increased to $14 billion. This figure could rise further, which will be an additional burden for the country, but we will face it because Lebanon is entering a new phase," the prime minister said.

"I am here because I am convinced that the country has a real chance. Unfortunately, we have missed many opportunities in recent years. The first was not implementing the Taif Agreement, the second was hesitating to deploy the army in south Lebanon after the Israeli withdrawal [in 2000]. The third chance we missed was the one following the Syrian withdrawal [in 2005, after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri]," he added.

At least 4,047 people were killed and 16,593 others injured in Lebanon during the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, which lasted from October 2023 to November 2024. The Israeli army remains positioned at least five strategic points in Lebanese territory, despite being required to withdraw from south Lebanon under the terms of the cease-fire.