Top 18
stories for 2018

Dynamic year in review

It was a busy year, packed with deals and acquisitions in the financial and non-financial sectors, the passing of long-awaited regulations, and billions of dollars in new loans and concessional financing. Despite long odds, the market saw vibrancy in tourism. Borders reopened in Syria to allow exports to Arab countries. New laws and regulations were passed, such as an e-transactions law, a solid waste management law, and a transparency law for oil and gas. The public budget was also ratified. But the crown jewel of achievements is the $11.8 billion pledged to infrastructure projects at the CEDRE conference.

Here are the 18 top stories we covered in 2018:

1. Vatican placed Lebanon on pilgrimage destinations list
2. Medical insurance now guaranteed for life
3. Mövenpick Hotel sold to local and Saudi investors
4. Exports to resume through Syria-Jordan land borders
5. 3 million passengers at MEA in 2018
6. Tripoli Port becomes transshipment hub for East Asia
7. Smallest banks have highest growth in assets
8. Banks barred from insurance
9. Housing Bank resumes mortgage loan subsidies
10. CDR overseeing $4.5 billion in projects
11. Net economic loss due to Syrian crisis: $9.8 billion
12. Remittance inflows rise to $8 billion
13. Airport being readied for 20 million passengers
14. Tech startups grow three-folds
15. $11.8 billion promised at the Paris CEDRE conference
16. Private sector to tap $6 billion in public projects
17. Sustainable development goals: seven achieved!
18. $400 million job project from the World Bank