Dear Friends,
As we approach the winter holiday season, we are taking some time to reflect on all that has transpired in Lebanon. There have been many positive developments, but overall the situation of the Lebanese people has continued to worsen. Despite these challenges, at ATFL we still have faith in our ability to make a difference. We know that our strength comes from our growing friendships, partnerships, collaborations, and extended family around the world.
ATFL will soon publish a policy paper aiming to guide the Biden Administration and the US government on its foreign policy toward Lebanon. This paper will be the latest product of policy recommendations from a diverse coalition of over thirty experts: writers, analysts, and scholars of Lebanon from across the news media, think thank, and policy spheres. This coalition is a reflection of the DC policy community’s shared and deep concern for Lebanon and its people at this time of acute crisis. Together, we are working to ensure that the US will respond to the great need of the Lebanese people and help build a foundation for a better future.
A fundamental element of ATFL's ability to contribute to these important, collaborative, and policy-forward initiatives is our regular trips to Lebanon. ATFL visited Lebanon in July, following the Parliamentary elections in May. We met with recently elected members of Parliament, the cabinet, religious leaders, and other important stakeholders in the US-Lebanon relationship. And just recently, at the end of October, ATFL sponsored a delegation of Congressional staff members. Our trip highlighted the importance of Congress's engagement and impact on current issues facing Lebanon.
ATFL has also been willing to communicate hard messages to those in Lebanon with the power of influence. We have also built our impact by reporting our observations to key decision-makers in Washington. Over the last year, we continued to meet and debrief key US officials in the Administration and Congress. We also facilitated community engagement with key decision-makers, allowing them to hear directly from the diaspora. We encourage you to watch our recent webinars featuring USAID Administrator Samantha Power following her official trip to Lebanon this month. Prior to that, ATFL also hosted a webinar with the lead negotiators of the recent Israel-Lebanon maritime boundary agreement, US Special Presidential Advisor Amos Hochstein and Lebanese Deputy Speaker of Parliament Elias Bou Saab.
Next month we will conduct an off-site strategic planning session to look at the year ahead and the challenge of addressing Lebanon’s dire situation in light of an ever deteriorating circumstance. That plan will be presented to the board and advisers in early 2023 for their review and input.
As always, we are extremely grateful for your support and attention to our mission. So long as ATFL is able to rally its partners and friends, our work can make a difference. Together, we will continue to pursue a strong US-Lebanon relationship that enables meaningful change for the Lebanese people.
We wish you, your friends, and your families a blessed holiday season.
- Team ATFL
