Lebanese Economy Minister Raoul Nehme revealed during an interview with the Financial Times newspaper that the audit of the central bank accounts announced last month will include every transaction at the bank,
During the interview which was published on Sunday he said that a forensic auditor “will look into all the transactions” for an understanding of activities at the central bank, the economy minister told the Financial Times newspaper.
“Whatever bailouts and so on. Everything that was done,” he added.
The forensic audit will be executed by an independent auditing firm, one of the three – KPMG, Kroll and Oliver Wyman – appointed in April, the minister told the newspaper without confirming which of those three will actually run it.
Last month, Prime Minister Hassan Diab said that Lebanon will audit its central bank’s accounts in a bid to show transparency after launching debt restructuring talks with creditors.
A crippling financial crisis that has gripped Lebanon for months saw it default on its hefty foreign-currency debt for the first time and launch restructuring talks in late March.
The economic implications of shutdowns related to the coronavirus outbreak have further compounded woes in a country with a weakening currency, dwindling reserves and soaring inflation.
