Is CEDRE a last chance or a mirage?

Half a year has passed since CEDRE, the economic conference for development through reforms with the private sector, the latest in a long line of international conferences aimed at propping up an unstable Lebanon. It seems like a good moment to ask what past initiatives and recent developments can tell us about CEDRE’s political context and chances of success. The outcome of CEDRE that received the most attention in Lebanon was the financial promise of support and development funding to the tune of $11 billion. The funds allocated at CEDRE are of two types: soft loans that provide around $10.2 billion and grants amounting to around $800 million. The World Bank is the main contributor, committing to provide a package of soft and concessionary loans for a total of $4 billion. As CEDRE was timed to be held just one month before Lebanon’s parliamentary elections, government formation and fiscal reforms