Drowning in enough crises as is, the last thing Lebanon needs today is the Caesar Act to further damage sectors. On that basis, a US senator has submitted a request to exempt the crisis-ridden country from the Act’s consequences.
According to Lebanese-American lawyer Cyline Atallah, US Senator Jeanne Shaheen filed the request to the Senate, calling for an exemption for Lebanon in the matter of importing electricity from Syria.
Alongside Shaheen, Senators Chris Murphy and Tim Kaine signed the request, which cites the ongoing energy crisis in the country and its need for a reliable power network.
In addition to the request for exemption, the official, who is married to Lebanese-American attorney Bill Shaheen, asked the US State Department to provide urgent support to Lebanon to help it develop its rusty energy sector.
Aside from its potential negative impact on Lebanon’s ability to import electricity from Syria, one of its primary providers of power, the Caesar Act could have serious economic repercussions on the country.
For this reason, the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked the US administration back in July to give Lebanon an exemption from the sanctions that aim to wear down the Syrian regime.
The Foreign Ministry specified the issue of electricity import in the request as well.
Also in July, US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker hinted at a possible exemption for Lebanon, noting that the Act should not hurt Lebanon as a whole but only those who deal with Syria’s Assad regime.
