UN General Assembly
1992

and invasion, and the Lebanese people continue to feel the horrendous effects of galloping inflation due to the decline in the purchasing power of the national currency. The State budget is in the grip of a huge deficit owing to the loss of basic sources of national income such as tourism and the service sector. Regional crises, the latest of which was that of the Gulf, have also had sharp negative repercussions on the country. The Lebanese still await the honouring of regional and international promises of help in revitalizing their national economy. The delay in supporting the reconstruction and development efforts that are already under way is very regrettable, particularly since in previous years hundreds of millions of dollars were poured into Lebanon to fuel the devastating strife and keep its flames alive. The revitalization of Lebanon's economy would be an excellent investment in the future of the region. Lebanon and the Lebanese have played a pioneering role in modernizing and developing the region, and they still have the dynamism and ambition to play anew that same constructive role.