Key Takeaways:
- Lebanon is extremely dependent on imports: the country’s import-to-GDP ratio reached 91.4% in 2023.
- The import bill is heavily skewed toward luxury items, with precious stones and gold comprising 14% of total imports.
- Imports of essential goods and pharmaceuticals continued to decline in 2023, which is indicative of the country’s worsening economic and social crises.
- Lebanese residents are increasingly using precious items as a store of value and a medium for lending.
- Humanitarian and development actors should monitor import trends to better tailor their responses and programming, with a particular focus on essential commodities and how regulations affect trade dynamics.
By Crisis Analytics Team, Mercy Corps Lebanon
