Lebanese economy projected to contract 7pc over war

Published May 21, 2026 Updated May 21, 2026 10:18pm

The ongoing war in Lebanon is expected to shrink the country’s economy by at least 7 per cent this year and could cost the country an estimated $20 billion, according to Al Jazeera.

Finance Minister Yassine Jaber tells Reuters he expects the current ⁠war to prompt an economic contraction of between 7pc and 10pc in 2026.

Jaber says the government had hoped for a budget surplus this year, but instead allocated $50 million in public funds to support more than one million people displaced by the war.

Opinion

Editorial

Hardening lines
Updated 22 May, 2026

Hardening lines

Iranian suspicions about Pakistan’s close ties with Washington and Gulf states persist, while Pakistan remains uneasy over Tehran’s growing engagement with India.
Unliveable city
22 May, 2026

Unliveable city

IN Karachi, when it comes to water, it is every man and woman for themselves. A persistent shortage in available...
Glof alert
22 May, 2026

Glof alert

FOR many communities in northern Pakistan, the sound of heavy rain now carries a different meaning. It is no longer...
External woes
Updated 21 May, 2026

External woes

Relying indefinitely on remittances to offset structural economic weaknesses is not sustainable.
Political activity
21 May, 2026

Political activity

THE opposition is astir. There is talk of widespread protests this Friday over a list of dissatisfactions with the...
Seizing hope
21 May, 2026

Seizing hope

ISRAEL’S tyranny knows no bounds. After intercepting the Global Sumud Flotilla that set sail last week, disturbing...