Overview
- Karim Souaid officially took office as Lebanon's central bank governor on April 4, 2025, succeeding interim governor Wassim Mansouri.
- Souaid outlined a reform agenda focused on fighting money laundering, terrorism financing, and ensuring the central bank operates independently from political influence.
- He emphasized the need to recapitalize Lebanese banks, with options for mergers or injecting new funds, to stabilize the financial system.
- Priority will be given to gradually returning deposits to small savers, addressing a key grievance of the population locked out of their savings since 2019.
- The new governor committed to allowing the conclusion of criminal investigations into financial abuses under previous leadership, aiming to restore trust in Lebanon's banking sector.