Although the regime of Bashar al-Assad, which oversaw drug production and smuggling, has fallen, remnants of his networks are still active and continue to pose a threat to Syria’s neighbors, especially Jordan.

Since 2019, Lebanese depositors have been waiting to recover their funds trapped in the banking system — even gradually — through laws that could be part of any financial reform plan by the new government led by Nawaf Salam.

Following al-Assad’s fall, Lebanon and Syria are moving to formally demarcate their disputed border, aiming to assert sovereignty and curb smuggling with international support.

After a travel ban that had been in place since 2021, the UAE’s decision to allow its citizens to visit Lebanon signals a possible return of Emirati investment to a country whose political landscape is starting to shift.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah is working to rebuild its waning popularity following its recent confrontation with the Israeli Occupation, using the upcoming municipal and local elections, scheduled for May 4, 2025, as a key political platform to do so.