Lebanon: Salame upbeat on the country’s future

Riad Salame receives his central bank governor of the year award from Euromoney’s chairman and editor-in-chief, Padraic Fallon, in Singapore in September

Lebanon’s central bank governor says that the country must press ahead with its reform programme, despite the disruption caused by the war between Israel and Hizbollah in the summer. Riad Salame tells Euromoney that although some delay should be expected, the much-needed reforms have to be implemented as soon as possible. “War should not be used as an excuse to delay them,” says Salame after receiving his award as Euromoney’s central bank governor of the year during the IMF/World Bank annual meetings in Singapore.