Can the International Community Save Lebanon? - What has been, and should be, the role of international actors amid Lebanon’s crisis

Opinion Analysis by Gaia Bchara, Featured Writer

The international community’s involvement in Lebanon has long been that of a stabilizing force in favor of the status quo. This is clearest in the continuous economic and financial bailouts that served to bolster Lebanon’s political class, free of any coherent implementation plans. At the heart of policies directed at the Lebanese political class lies the prospect of reform. Today, it is increasingly clear that a meaningful Lebanese partner cannot be found in its current oligarchy. As such, fashioning a new role for the international community in Lebanon is central to the country’s reconstruction.