BEIRUT - The President of the Economic, Social and Environmental
Council (ESEC) in Lebanon, Mr. Charles Arbid, received HE Dr. Talal
Abu-Ghazaleh, founder and chairman of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Global (TAG.Global),
with  his accompanying delegation at the Council.

The meeting was also attended by the MENA EdTech Alliance
President, Dr. Rabie Baalbaki, the Vice-President of the Alliance for
International Partnerships and Relations Coordinator, Ms. Nora Al-Murabi, the
Vice President of the Council, Mr. Saad Eddin Hamidi Saqr, and the Council’s
Director General, Mr. Mohammed Saifeddine; in addition to a host of the
Council’s administrative board.

During the meeting, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh affirmed that the crisis in
Lebanon is purely political, disagreeing with any claims that Lebanon could go
bankrupt. He further made several proposals to save and revive the Lebanese
economy, saying: 

 “Lebanon’s
funds could have never evaporated, nor did the deposits. They have been moved
from one hand to another, and transferred from one bank to another, and from
one country to another”.

 He strongly condemned  the spreading
feelings of hopelessness and frustration among the Lebanese people, explaining
that only corporations declare bankruptcy, not countries. "A country would
become  broke only if it fails to serve its citizens,” Dr. abu Ghazaleh
affirmed.

He called on the Council to serve as a platform for launching an
intellectual campaign that restores the strength of the Lebanese state.

For his part, Mr. Arbid pointed out that the Council plays a
significant role in providing a participatory dialogue platform for all
political ideologies and parliamentary blocs, noting that the first achievement
of the Council is in bringing representatives of all these political entities
together. He also announced that the Council was the first to discuss the issue
of ‘cash card aid’ to support vulnerable families.

 “There are a number of positive external and regional
indicators, such as the demarcation and the nuclear agreement; however, there
are no positive indicators inside the country that encourage promoting feelings
of hope among the Lebanese people,” Mr. Arbid said,  calling on all
political forces to  end their political conflicts that are mainly
responsible for eroding the Lebanese peoples’ confidence in their state.