Dan Azzi
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
The Dollar Crisis
[This article was originally published in An-Nahar September 22, 2019] It’s pretty clear that we’re now in an urgent race, like being on a treadmill, whose speed keeps accelerating, but has no off-switch. No matter how tough and fit you are, eventually you’ll have to stop running … unlike the treadmill, which keeps going. You can [...]
Dan Azzi
The devaluation of the Lebanese Dollar
[This article was first published in An-Nahar in July 2019] I know what you’re thinking — my editor missed a typo and the title should be “Devaluation of the Lebanese Lira.” It’s pretty clear, with the balance of payment (BoP) deficit (binging on imports, i.e. US dollars leaking outside the country month after month); that we’re heading [...]
Dan Azzi
Where’s my damn money?
[First published in An-Nahar and Yerepouni News on July 14, 2019] BEIRUT: “… We have a new product for deposits with a minimum of $20 million, paying a 14% annual rate … but now we’re opening this great offer for the general population at much smaller amounts, but only for dollars coming from outside Lebanon …. We put your money with the [...]
Dan Azzi
Then and Now
(Originally published in An-Nahar on December 10, 2018) During the Civil War entertainment options were limited. There was no ABC mall, no Bikfaya peach festival, no Marina, no Achrafieh 2020 carless roads, no organic market in Beirut Souks … no Beirut Souks, period. No Sky Bar or Music Hall or Rodge. As teenagers, Espace 2000 was [...]
Dan Azzi
Undiplomatic Diplomats
(Originally published in An-Nahar December 3, 2019) I had dinner the other day with a senior British ambassador to the GCC. We got to talking and I affectionately mentioned a young diplomat who became very popular after his farewell letter to the Lebanese people. And here’s where he surprised me. He was quite negative about his colleague [...]
Dan Azzi
Mabrouk. A new government is formed with 50% women.
(First published in An-Nahar October 30, 2018) A couple of years ago a major political party had a monumental change of leadership. Mind you, this wasn’t due to an expiration of his term limit, because of a clause in the party’s constitution. In typical Lebanese fashion, this was because of the previous leader dying or moving to bigger [...]
Dan Azzi
Dollars — The Latest Lebanese Vegetable
(First published in An-Nahar October 22, 2018) “Remember, if you believe it, it’s not a lie.” George Costanza Most people don’t know that a tomato is actually a fruit not a vegetable. It took my attending a Botany course at AUB for me to learn this very useful tidbit of information, which comes in handy when I’m short cash and need to [...]
Dan Azzi
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