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NEWS: Lebanon new central bank chief aims to counter terrorism financing

Lebanon's newly appointed central bank governor Karim Souaid takes office in a handover ceremony in Beirut, Lebanon April 4, 2025. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

By Maya Gebeily

LEBANON’S new central bank governor has said commercial banks must recapitalise, merge or be closed as he outlined plans for reviving the paralysed financial system, saying that small depositors would be prioritised in recovering their funds.

Karim Souaid also said the central bank would counter terrorism financing and eliminate the parallel economy as it seeks to get Lebanon removed from a global financial watchdog’s “grey list” of states requiring special scrutiny.

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