Arab summit shows a Lebanon at the mercy of disinterested regional powers

ENAR

The Arab League Economic and Social Development summit hosted in Beirut in late January produced at least one solid takeaway: the reiterated recognition that Lebanon does not hold the keys to its own future and so must ride the bench during this economically and politically pivotal time for the region. With a government finally formed on January 31, Lebanon finds itself engulfed in domestic and regional uncertainties and struggling on a tightrope to maintain its balance. The mid-January summit was viewed by some observers as an unsuccessful event when measured against hoped-for outcomes for the host country, which included: a resolution to the myriad and competing perspectives on Arab states’ relations with Syria, the provision of financial or other support to refugees, and a decision regarding the general direction for Lebanon in 2019. According to Paul Salem, president of the Washington-based Middle East Institute, in a late-January Weekly Briefing published