Haneen Sayed: Lebanon's Economic Crisis

This week on a special edition of Babel, Will Todman speaks with Jon Alterman, the creator of Babel and the show’s host since it began in 2019. They discuss Jon’s reflections on 22 years directing the CSIS Middle East Program, his analysis of how the Middle East policy ecosystem ...  عرض المزيد

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Mohanad Hage Ali, deputy director for research at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. Mohanad's latest paper for Carnegie investigates the rise of a new form of drug smuggling in Lebanon. Together, they discuss Hezbollah’s i ...  عرض المزيد

In this episode, we turn our focus to the Middle East, specifically Lebanon, a country currently at the epicentre of political and economic turmoil. Joined by Lebanese economist Carole Nakhle, we dive into the complexities of Lebanese society, a nation shaped by hyperinflation, w ...  عرض المزيد

The World Bank has declared Lebanon's to be "enduring a severe and prolonged economic depression" and said it is one of the worst economic crises since the mid-19th century. As fuel and food supplies dry up, and cash reserves dwindle, Lebanese economic columnist and former bank e ...  عرض المزيد

Discussion on the World Bank's Lebanon Emergency Crisis and COVID-19 Response Social Safety Net Project (ESSN) begins at 18:40. Ben and Timour are joined this week by Sami Zoughaib, a Beirut-based researcher and former LCPS researcher/podcaster at Alternative Frequencies, to disc ...  عرض المزيد

In conversation with Professor Hicham Safieddine, we get to grips with Lebanon’s banking system. He walks us through the history of central banks, who Lebanon’s Barons of Banking were, and how Lebanon’s banking sector got to where it is today. We reflect on Beirut’s economy an ...