During the past 18 months, the American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL) and the Middle East Institute (MEI) have been convening a group of prominent experts concerning the future of the US-Lebanon relationship. In October 2019, at the beginning of the protests in Lebanon, the dialogue became more urgent in examining the acute economic, political, and social issues of the country and how US policy and leadership might be of greater assistance in supporting Lebanon’s stability while encouraging positive socio-economic and governance reform. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated these crises and further underscores the timeliness of publishing a policy report outlining US interests in Lebanon and ways in which the US could help the Lebanese people in these challenging times. The report does not represent the views of ATFL or MEI as institutions, but rather a consensus among a group of US-Lebanon experts whom the two institutions convened. We hope that this report contributes to policies that sustain strong US-Lebanese relations built on our shared values and interests.
We would like to acknowledge the significant contribution by the Lebanese International Finance Executives (LIFE), the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies (LCPS), the National Democratic Institute, the International Republican Institute, and experts from the US and Lebanon who shared their comments and insights with us.
