Finance Minister Yassine Jaber assured on Friday that “the criteria for choosing the governor of the Banque du Liban [BDL] are purely sovereign and national,” rejecting all rumors and press reports about international pressures in choosing the person who will occupy this position.

The position of BDL governor, traditionally held by a Maronite Christian, has been vacant since the retirement of former governor Riad Salameh, who is currently in detention as part of proceedings initiated against him. Wassim Mansouri has been serving in this role on an interim basis since 2023. This position is particularly sensitive in a country that has experienced one of the worst economic and financial crises in the world. There are persistent rumors of international pressures, particularly from the U.S., regarding the choice of the individual who will be appointed.

In a statement following multiple meetings this week with representatives from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), Jaber stated that “the recovery of the economic sector, the restoration of public administration, and monetary stability are the necessary framework for any agreement with these international institutions, which have shown their willingness to provide all the technical and economic support necessary for modernization and transparency, which will help all sectors strengthen their ties with state administrations.”

Stability, the minister continued, is the only way to attract investments and aid, in view of the reconstruction of regions destroyed by the latest war between Hezbollah and Israel on the one hand, and economic recovery on the other hand. He mentioned “the restructuring of the banking sector that will allow it to reclaim its leading role and return their assets to depositors.”