IMF Concludes 2009 Article IV Consultation With Lebanon

Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus

28 April 2009

A statement has been issued following the conclusion of an International Monetary Fund staff mission to Lebanon for the 2009 Article IV Consultation.

The Lebanese financial system has so far weathered the global financial crisis. Deposit inflows decelerated briefly in the aftermath of the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, but have resumed at a rapid pace since then, and deposit dollarization has been declining steadily. Consequently, the Bank of Lebanon (BdL) has continued to accumulate international reserves at a swift pace. Eurobond spreads have come down markedly since spiking following the Lehman bankruptcy, and are now below the emerging market average. Helped by strict financial oversight, the domestic financial system has had very little exposure to distressed financial products or markets and remains liquid.

Despite its vulnerabilities, the Lebanese economy has shown a remarkable macroeconomic performance. Lebanon’s public debt to GDP ratio remains very high, its large banking system is highly exposed to the sovereign and dependent on nonresident deposit inflows, and the country lies at the crossroads of regional political tensions. Nonetheless, Lebanon has achieved a strong macroeconomic performance, helped by prudent policies and an improvement of the political and security situation after the May 2008 Doha agreement. Real GDP growth exceeded 8% in 2008. CPI inflation dropped to 4% in January 2009, down from the double digits briefly reached last summer in the wake of soaring international food and fuel prices. With a primary fiscal balance of 0.5% of GDP, the debt to GDP ratio declined by 6% points to 162% of GDP in 2008. All end-December quantitative targets under the Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance -supported program were met with substantial margins.

The global recession and tight international capital markets weigh on the economic and financial outlook. Lower global liquidity and economic growth, particularly in the Gulf, are likely to affect merchandise exports, tourism, remittances, foreign direct and portfolio investment, and deposit inflows. Economic growth in Lebanon is likely to slow to 3% this year, and deposit growth could decline to about 10% from over 15% in 2008. Nonetheless, helped by a reduced oil import bill and ongoing deposit dedollarization, international reserves are likely to increase further. Inflation will likely remain low, in line with international price trends.

In its Executive Board Assessment the IMF stated:"

"The resilience of the Lebanese economy in the face of the global financial crisis is remarkable, and the authorities' macroeconomic policy discipline and strict oversight of the financial system commendable. Their implementation of the program supported by EPCA has contributed to a strong economic and financial performance and a reduction in the government debt to GDP ratio."

"The deepening global recession, unsettled international credit markets, and Lebanon’s exposure to regional spillovers underscore the importance of making further progress in addressing Lebanon’s macroeconomic and financial vulnerabilities. Near-term policies should aim at mitigating downside risks by safeguarding the recent progress made toward achieving debt sustainability and strengthening the external position. This will involve continued prudent fiscal and monetary policies, vigilant financial supervision, proactive contingency planning, and a resumption of the Paris III reform policy agenda to reduce structural vulnerabilities."

"The authorities’ monetary policy aimed at safeguarding the exchange rate peg and facilitating a further buildup of international reserves is approved. The large currency mismatches in the debt held by the governmental, corporate, and household sectors, along with the high level of government foreign currency debt and debt-service obligations, underscore the central role played by the peg in maintaining financial stability. Given heightened near-term risks, there is little scope for lowering interest rates over the coming months. The central bank assess the real effective exchange rate of the Lebanese pound to be broadly in line with fundamentals."

"Lebanon's still very-high level of government debt and the need to support the exchange rate peg leave little room for countercyclical fiscal policy. Perhaps the authorities should aim for a higher primary fiscal surplus than implied in the draft budget to reduce the debt burden, but an alternative view is that the planned pause in fiscal consolidation is justified by the slowdown in economic activity. Any revenue overperformance or capital spending shortfall in the 2009 budget should be saved. The authorities' assurance that implementation of the 2009 budget will be prudent was encouraging, and their readiness to consider additional measures if needed to maintain the government debt to GDP ratio unchanged was reassuring, allowing for government financing in the event of a shortfall in deposit inflows."

"The reintroduction of gasoline excise taxes will help bolster the revenue position. Carefully targeting social expenditures would lead to a more efficient allocation of public resources and achieve social and development objectives better than generalized public sector wage increases."

"The resilience and profitability of the banking sector in the face of the global crisis was reassuring. The authorities' regulation and supervision of the sector was prudent, and they have made progress in strengthening the bank resolution framework. At the same time, banks’ large exposure to the sovereign, maturity mismatches, and the still high degree of dollarization constitute vulnerabilities. Therefore continued vigilance in bank regulation and supervision is needed."

"Progress on structural reforms under the Paris III reform agenda, especially in the energy sector, will warrant heightened attention in the period ahead. This should include a revision of electricity tariffs to ensure cost recovery, which will boost Lebanon’s growth potential and reduce a large drain on budgetary resources. The privatization of the mobile telecommunications providers as soon as market conditions allow would promote private sector growth and reduce debt-related vulnerabilities. Fiscal reforms, including an increase in the VAT rate will be needed to achieve the desired sizeable primary fiscal surplus in the medium term. Timely and full disbursement of donor commitments to support Lebanon’s reform agenda, including through the provision of budgetary support is important."

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