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Beirut (AFP) – As soon as the financial system’s crown jewel, Lebanon’s banks are shutting branches and shedding staff in droves, resizing to the grim actuality of a disaster they’re extensively blamed for.
Earlier than the onset in 2019 of a monetary collapse deemed one of many world’s worst for the reason that 1850s by the World Financial institution, the small Mediterranean nation had an outsized however affluent banking sector.
The capital Beirut was a booming regional monetary hub, attracting savers eager to revenue from excessive rates of interest and banking secrecy legal guidelines.
However greater than two years into the disaster, the fame of Lebanese lenders has been shredded.
A dizzying foreign money collapse, coupled with banks imposing strict withdrawal limits and prohibiting transfers overseas, has left peculiar depositors watching on helplessly as their financial savings evaporate.
And but bankers stand accused of bypassing these very same capital controls — stoking the disaster by serving to the political elite squirrel billions of {dollars} abroad.
Their belief destroyed, residents now preserve new earnings effectively away from the banks, which in flip are disadvantaged of cash they might lend.
“The entire banking system at this time is made up of zombie banks,” mentioned financial analyst Patrick Mardini.
“They do not work as banks anymore — they do not give loans, they do not take new deposits.”
‘Deserted nation’
Because of this, the trade has been compelled to cut back its operations.
In 2019, Lebanon ranked second within the area for financial institution branches per 100,000 individuals, in response to the World Financial institution, and held a complete of round $150 billion in deposits.
Deposits by Arab buyers and Lebanese expatriates propelled the banking sector to peak at thrice the worth of nationwide financial output.
However greater than 160 branches have closed for the reason that finish of 2018, leaving a complete of 919 branches working throughout the nation, in response to the Affiliation of Banks in Lebanon (ABL).
The variety of staff has dropped by round 5,900, lowering the sector’s workforce to roughly 20,000 late final yr.
“Lebanon is an deserted nation,” ABL chief Salim Sfeir advised AFP, referring to negligence by the nation’s authorities.
The affiliation claims the sector has been “compelled to adapt to the contraction of the financial system,” whilst others blame the banks for total financial exercise plunging by greater than half since 2019.
The Lebanese pound, formally pegged at 1,507 to the dollar since 1997, has misplaced greater than 90 % of its worth on the black market.
The slide has prompted banks to undertake a plethora of alternate charges for transactions though the official charge stays unchanged.
Those that maintain greenback accounts have largely needed to withdraw money in Lebanese kilos and at a fraction of the black market charge.
“If we apply worldwide accounting requirements, virtually all Lebanese banks are bancrupt,” funding banker Jean Riachi mentioned.
‘Exit the market’
Lebanon’s authorities defaulted on its overseas debt in 2020, stymying the nation’s hopes of shortly securing new worldwide credit score or donor cash to stem the disaster.
The ruling elite, beset by inside rifts which have repeatedly left the nation and not using a authorities, has but to agree on an financial restoration plan with worldwide collectors.
Disagreements between the federal government, the central financial institution and business banks over the dimensions of monetary sector losses have dogged talks with the Worldwide Financial Fund that first began practically two years in the past.
In December, the federal government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati set monetary sector losses at round $69 billion in a vital step in direction of advancing IMF talks.
However whereas the worldwide lender mentioned early this month that efforts to agree on a rescue bundle have progressed, it made clear extra work was wanted, particularly when it comes to “restructuring of the monetary sector”.
The analyst Mardini mentioned financial institution restructuring proposals have been mentioned by a number of governments.
Central financial institution chief Riad Salameh has mentioned banks which might be unable to lend should “exit the market”.
However significant progress on restructuring has been impeded by a political elite who keep giant shares in a few of the principal banks, in response to Mardini.
For out-of-pocket depositors, the main points of any restructuring preparations are a secondary concern.
“I simply need to get better my financial savings,” mentioned Hicham, a businessman who requested to make use of his first title solely over privateness considerations.
“All of the events involved should assume their tasks.”
© 2022 AFP