Lebanon resumes talks with IMF for bailout package – The National

Lebanon resumes talks with IMF for bailout package – The National

Lebanon resumed talks with the International Monetary Fund that had stalled for a year and a half because of political differences in the country after it approached the lender for a $10-billion programme.

The government "expressed its willingness to progress towards reaching an agreement on an appropriate recovery programme that could be supported by the institution and harness broad support from the international financial community", the Finance Ministry said on Monday.

The newly formed cabinet, led by Prime Minister Najib Mikati, "is fully conscious of the urgency of Lebanon’s social and economic situation and of the challenges lying ahead," the ministry said in an emailed statement.