The Lebanese Central Bank issued on August 17, 2023 a new announcement addressed to banks and financial institutions concerning BDL’s liquid FX reserves. BDL’s first deputy governor Dr. Wassim Mansouri commented that the audit of the Central Bank’s accounts commenced with the support of the concerned departments together with the internal audit division of BDL, starting with the foreign liquidity position to determine the available balance at BDL and its corresponding foreign commitments. According to the announcement, BDL’s foreign liquidity excluding Eurobonds and gold amounted to $8,573 million as at end of July 2023. The nominal value of the ROL Eurobonds portfolio held by BDL stood at $5,212 million having a market value of $387 million as at end of July 2023. On the opposite end, the Central Bank’s foreign liabilities amounted to $1,270 million as at end of July 2023 and must be paid when due from BDL’s foreign liquidity account.

In addition, the announcement noted that in accordance with the commitment of Dr. Mansouri to abide by the decision of BDL’s Central Council which prohibits the use of the remaining required reserves on customer deposits placed by Banks at the BDL, the required reserves account will not be used except for the settlement of the aforementioned liabilities and BDL’s share of the payments corresponding to basic circular 158.