Request for approval to conclude an agreement between the Lebanese Republic and the International Monetary Fund on establishing the office of the IMF Resident Representative

بعبدا في ٥ آب ٢٠٢٦

الإمضاء: جوزاف عون

صدر عن رئيس الجمهورية

رئيس مجلس الوزراء

الإمضاء: نواف سلام

رئيس مجلس الوزراء

الإمضاء: نواف سلام

اتفاقية بين

الجمهورية اللبنانية وصندوق النقد الدولي

بشأن تأسيس

مكتب الممثل المقيم لصندوق النقد الدولي

للطرف الأول، حكومة الجمهورية اللبنانية (يشار إليها فيما بعد باسم "لبنان")، وللطرف / والطرف الثاني، صندوق النقد الدولي (يشار إليه فيما بعد باسم "الصندوق")، ويشار إليهما مجتمعين فيما بعد باسم "الطرفين"؛

بالإشارة إلى اتفاقية تأسيس صندوق النقد الدولي لعام ١٩٤٥، وتعديلاتها، ولا سيما المادة التاسعة حول الوضع القانوني لصندوق النقد الدولي وما يتمتع به الصندوق من حصانات وامتيازات (يشار إليها فيما بعد باسم "اتفاقية التأسيس")؛

ومع الإقرار بأن الوثائق القانونية المشار إليها آنفاً تظل هي القواعد الحاكمة والمطبقة، وبأن هذه الاتفاقية (يشار إليها فيما بعد باسم "الاتفاقية") لن تحد بأي شكل من الأشكال من نطاق تطبيق تلك الوثائق؛

وحيث إن الصندوق قد قرر إنشاء مكتب للممثل المقيم (يشار إليه فيما بعد باسم "المكتب") في بيروت بنية / بغية تعزيز تواجده الميداني وتوسيع دائرة الانخراط مع السلطات المحلية؛

وإذ يرغب الطرفان في تعريف الوضع القانوني للمكتب في لبنان وامتيازاته وحصاناته على النحو الوارد في اتفاقية تأسيس الصندوق، وتمكين الصندوق من تحقيق مقاصده وأداء مهامه في لبنان، فقد اتفقا على ما يلي:

المادة ١ - الشخصية الاعتبارية

القسم الأول- يتعهد لبنان بتسهيل إنشاء المكتب وتشغيله في بيروت.

القسم الثاني- سيكون المكتب تابعا للصندوق ولن تكون له شخصية اعتبارية مستقلة عن الشخصية الاعتبارية للصندوق.

المادة ٢ - مسؤولو المكتب وموظفوه

القسم الأول- يضم المكتب ممثلا مقيما، وفريقا من موظفي الدعم، وأي عاملين آخرين يعينهم الصندوق، وسيكونون جميعهم موظفين تابعين للصندوق ويشار إليهم في هذه الاتفاقية باسم "موظفي الصندوق".

(5) يعين الصندوق أحد خبرائه في منصب الممثل المقيم.

(6) يتولى الصندوق اختيار فريق موظفي الدعم وتعيينه بالشروط التي يراها ملائمة على النحو الذي يعكس احتياجات المكتب.

(7) يجوز للصندوق تعيين مسؤولين آخرين على النحو الملائم أو الضروري لدعم قيام المكتب بعملياته ومساعدة الممثل المقيم في أداء مهامه.

(8) يزود الصندوق لبنان (وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين) بقائمة تضم أسماء جميع موظفي الصندوق العاملين بصفة رسمية على الأراضي اللبنانية ومسمياتهم الوظيفية. ولا تشمل هذه القائمة العاملين الذين يدخلون إلى لبنان أو يعبرون أراضيه بصفتهم الشخصية (كسياح على سبيل المثال). ويحدث الصندوق القائمة المشار إليها بصفة منتظمة حسب الحاجة.

المادة ٣ - مقر المكتب

القسم الأول - مقر المكتب مصون ويخضع لسيطرة الصندوق المطلقة وسلطته. ولا يجوز لأي سلطات لبنانية، أو لأي شخص آخر يمارس أي سلطة عامة داخل لبنان، سواء إدارية أو قضائية أو تشريعية أو عسكرية، دخول المكتب لأداء أي مهام إلا بموافقة الممثل المقيم وحسب الشروط التي يوافق عليها. وتكون للصندوق سلطة سن اللوائح التنظيمية والقواعد أو تطبيق لوائح الصندوق التنظيمية وقواعده داخل مقر المكتب بما يضمن كفاءة عمل المكتب واستقلاليته.

القسم الثاني - يتخذ لبنان جميع التدابير الملائمة لحماية المكتب وموظفي الصندوق من أي تعدٍ أو ضرر، ومنع أي إخلال بالقانون والنظام داخل المكتب، بما في ذلك أي شكل من أشكال العنف والأنشطة الإجرامية والهجمات التي تتضمن استخدام أجهزة متفجرة وحارقة. ويتعهد لبنان بتوفير عدد كاف من رجال الشرطة، بناء على طلب الصندوق أو الممثل المقيم، لحفظ القانون والنظام أو استعادتهما في المكتب، وإبعاد الجناة.

القسم الثالث - يتعهد لبنان باتخاذ جميع التدابير الملائمة لتسهيل حيازة الصندوق (سواء عن طريق الشراء أو الاستئجار أو أي وسيلة أخرى) لمقر ملائم لعمليات المكتب، وضمان توفير جميع المرافق والخدمات العامة اللازمة للمكتب بنفس الشروط الممنوحة للمكاتب المماثلة التابعة للمنظمات الدولية أو البعثات الدبلوماسية الأخرى في لبنان.

المادة ٤ - الممتلكات والضرائب

القسم الأول - يُعفى الصندوق وأصوله وممتلكاته ودخله وعملياته ومعاملاته من جميع الضرائب والرسوم الجمركية، بما في ذلك الحد الأدنى للرسوم الجمركية والضريبة الانتقائية المحلية وضريبة القيمة المضافة والضرائب البلدية. وتحديدا، يُعفى المكتب، بوصفه جزءا من الصندوق، من فئات الضرائب أو الجمارك أو الرسوم أو الجبايات أو الالتزامات الموضحة فيما يلي:

(1) جميع الضرائب على مشتريات أو مبيعات الصندوق من السلع والخدمات بغرض أداء مهامه الرسمية أو فيما يتصل بها، بما في ذلك جميع أشكال الضرائب غير المباشرة التي يمكن أن تشملها أسعار السلع أو

أشكال الاعتراض أو التدخل،

القسم الخامس- يحق للمكتب استخدام حقيبة دبلوماسية لإرسال واستلام المراسلات الرسمية أو غيرها من البنود المخصصة للاستخدام الرسمي.

القسم السادس- للصندوق مطلق الحرية في القيام بالتالي في لبنان، دون أي قيود ناتجة عن ضوابط مالية أو لوائح تنظيمية أو تأجيل سداد مدفوعات أياً كان نوعها:

(3) شراء أي أموال أو ذهب أو عملات من أي نوع وحيازتها والتصرف فيها، وإدارة الحسابات بأي عملة؛

(4) نقل أمواله أو ذهبه أو عملاته إلى أي بلد آخر أو منه أو داخل لبنان وتحويل أي عملة في حيازته إلى أي عملة أخرى.

المادة 6 - الامتيازات والحصانات التي يتمتع بها موظفو الصندوق

القسم الأول- يتمتع موظفو الصندوق، وأي من مسؤوليه الآخرين، أياً كانت جنسياتهم، بالامتيازات والحصانات التالية أثناء بعثاتهم في لبنان أو أثناء مرورهم به:

(8) الحصانة من الإجراءات القانونية فيما يتعلق بأي كلمات منطوقة أو مكتوبة وكذلك بجميع التصرفات الصادرة عنهم بصفتهم الرسمية؛

(9) الإعفاء من جميع الضرائب والجبايات الأخرى ومن الرسوم الإلزامية المفروضة على الرواتب والمكافآت التي يدفعها الصندوق، أو فيما يتعلق بها، مثل الاشتراكات في النظم الصحية ونظم معاشات التقاعد، والاستفادة، عند الاقتضاء، من حق استرداد الضريبة على القيمة المضافة،

(10) الحصانة من الاعتقال أو الاحتجاز، فيما عدا حالات الجرم المشهود، ومن مصادرة أمتعتهم الشخصية؛

(11) نفس الامتيازات المتعلقة بتسهيلات الصرف الأجنبي الممنوحة للمسؤولين من ذوي الرتب المماثلة في البعثات الدبلوماسية؛

(12) نفس تسهيلات الإعادة إلى الأوطان في أوقات الأزمات الدولية، مع من يعولونهم وعمالتهم المنزلية، الممنوحة للمسؤولين من ذوي الرتب المماثلة في البعثات الدبلوماسية؛

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF LEBANON AND THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE IMF RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE

The First Party, the government of the Republic of Lebanon (hereinafter "Lebanon"), and the Second Party, the International Monetary Fund (hereinafter "IMF"), jointly hereinafter referred to as the 'Parties,'

REFERRING to the Articles of Agreement of the IMF of 1945, as amended, in particular Article IX on the IMF's status, immunities and privileges (hereinafter referred to as "Articles of Agreement");

ACKNOWLEDGING that the legal instruments mentioned above shall remain the governing and applicable rules, and that this agreement (hereinafter referred to as "the Agreement") shall in no way limit the scope of application of such instruments;

WHEREAS the IMF has decided to establish a Resident Representative Office (hereinafter referred to as the "Office") in Beirut with the intent of strengthening its field presence and expanding engagement with local authorities;

AND DESIRING to define the status, privileges and immunities of the Office in Lebanon as set forth in the IMF Articles of Agreement and to enable the IMF to fulfill its purposes and functions in Lebanon, the Parties have agreed as follows:

Article 1 Legal Personality

Section 1. Lebanon shall undertake to facilitate the establishment and operation of the Office in Beirut.

Section 2. The Office will be an office of the IMF and shall not have a legal personality separate from that of the IMF.

Article 2 Officials and Employees of the Office

Section 1. The Office will comprise one Resident Representative, a team of support employees, and such other personnel that may be assigned by the IMF, all of whom will be employees of the IMF, hereinafter referred to as "IMF Employees."

(1) The IMF will appoint an IMF staff member to serve as the Resident Representative.

(2) The IMF will select and appoint the team of support employees on such terms as the IMF may deem appropriate, to reflect the needs of the Office.

(3) The IMF may appoint such other officials as appropriate or necessary to support the Office in conducting its operations and to assist the Resident Representative in carrying out his or her functions.

(4) The IMF shall provide Lebanon (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants) with a list of the names and titles of all IMF personnel serving in an official capacity on Lebanese territory. This list shall not include personnel entering or transiting Lebanon in their private capacity (e.g., as tourists). The IMF shall update this list regularly as necessary.

Article 3 Premises of the Office

Section 1. The premises of the Office shall be inviolable and shall be under the sole control and

authority of the IMF. No Lebanese authorities, or any other person exercising any public authority within Lebanon, whether administrative, judicial, legislative or military, may enter the Office to perform any duties except with the consent of, and under conditions approved by, the Resident Representative. The IMF shall have the authority to make regulations and rules or apply IMF regulations and rules within the premises of the Office for the efficient and independent functioning of the Office.

Section 2. Lebanon shall take all appropriate measures to protect the Office and IMF Employees against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance in the Office of law and order, including any form of violence, criminal activity, and attacks involving explosive and incendiary devices. If requested by the IMF or the Resident Representative, Lebanon shall provide a sufficient number of police for the maintenance or restoration of law and order in the Office, and for the removal of offenders.

Section 3. Lebanon shall take all appropriate measures to facilitate the acquisition (whether by purchase, lease or any other means) by the IMF of premises suitable for the Office's operations, and to ensure that the Office is supplied with the necessary public utilities and services on the same terms as those accorded to similar offices of other international organizations or diplomatic missions in Lebanon.

Article 4 Property and Taxation

Section 1. The IMF, its assets, property, income, operations and transactions shall be exempt from all taxes and customs duties, including minimum customs duties, the domestic excise tax, the value-added tax, and municipal taxes. In particular, as part of the IMF, the Office shall be exempt from the following categories of taxes, duties, charges, levies or obligations:

(1) All taxes on the purchase or sale of goods and services by the Fund for, or in connection with, the performance of its official functions, including all forms of indirect taxes that may be incorporated into the price of goods or services supplied to the IMF, such as charges on purchase/sale and/or rental or leasing of the IMF's office building, including the minimum customs duty and domestic excise duty. The value-added tax exemption shall be effected through the submission of refund claims.

(2) All customs duties, taxes, and other charges for the import of goods and equipment, including motor vehicles, articles, supplies, technical material and publications, intended to be used for the achievement of the Office's objectives. Motor vehicles acquired by the Office through importation or otherwise for official use shall be subject to the same type of registration that applies to diplomatic mission vehicles, which allows the identification of the vehicles as official vehicles belonging to an international organization.

(3) Obligations to collect or make payments or contributions to state pensions, national health insurance plans, social security accounts or equivalent schemes, whether in respect of the IMF as the employer or for its employees.

Section 2. The IMF shall be exempt from prohibitions and restrictions on imports and exports in respect of goods or articles, including motor vehicles, equipment, supplies, technical material and publications, intended for its official use, after consulting the responsible ministries and administrations to which the exemption petitions were made in a timely way.

Article 5 Privileges and Immunities of the IMF/Office

Section 1. The IMF, its property and assets, wherever located and by whomsoever held, shall enjoy

immunity from every form of judicial process. This immunity shall include immunity from any type of legal process in respect of personnel matters involving IMF employees. The IMF's internal employment framework shall govern exclusively in all matters relating to employment relations concerning IMF employees in Lebanon. Any dispute arising between the IMF and its employees shall be resolved through the dispute resolution mechanisms of the IMF, which shall have exclusive jurisdiction over such personnel matters.

Section 2. The property and assets of the IMF, wherever located, shall be immune from search, requisition, appropriation, confiscation, expropriation or any other form of seizure, whether by executive, administrative, judicial or legislative action.

Section 3. The archives of the IMF, and in general all documents belonging to it or held by it, shall be Inviolable, / inviolable, wherever located in Lebanon.

Section 4. All correspondence and other official communications to and from the Office shall not be subject to censorship or any other form of interception or interference in Lebanon.

Section 5. The Office shall have the right to use a diplomatic pouch for the sending and receipt of official correspondence or other items for official use.

Section 6. Without being restricted by any financial controls, regulations or moratoria of any kind, the IMF may, in Lebanon, freely:

(1) purchase, hold and dispose of any funds, gold or currency of any kind and manage accounts in any currency;

(2) transfer its funds, gold or currency to or from any other country or within Lebanon and convert any currency held by it into any other currency.

Article 6 Privileges and Immunities of IMF Employees

Section 1. IMF Employees and any other IMF officials while on mission in Lebanon or in transit therein, regardless of their nationality, shall enjoy the following privileges and immunities:

(1) Immunity from legal process with respect to words spoken or written and all acts performed by them in their official capacity;

(2) Exemption from all taxes and other levies and from mandatory charges on or in respect of salaries and emoluments paid by the IMF, such as contributions to medical and pension schemes, and where applicable, benefit from the right of refund of the value-added tax;

(3) Immunity from arrest or detention, except the cases of flagrant delicto, and from seizure of their personal belongings;

(4) The same privileges in respect of exchange facilities as are accorded to officials of comparable rank of diplomatic missions;

(5) The same repatriation facilities in time of international crises, together with their dependents and members of their household staff, as are accorded to officials of comparable rank of diplomatic missions;

(6) Immunity, together with their spouse, dependents and members of their household staff, from immigration restrictions and alien registration requirements; and

(7) Exemption, for them and their family members as communicated under Section 3 of this Article, from national service obligations, provided that, in respect of nationals of Lebanon, such exemption shall be confined to employees whose names have, by reason of their duties, been placed on a list compiled by the IMF and approved by Lebanon. Should other employees of the IMF who are nationals of Lebanon be called up for national service, Lebanon shall, at the request of the IMF, grant a temporary deferment to the called-up employees as may be necessary to avoid disruption of essential operations.

Section 2. In addition to the immunities, privileges, and exemptions specified in Section 1(1) through (7) of this Article, the Resident Representative (including any officer acting on behalf of the Resident Representative) and the spouse and dependents of the Resident Representative shall be accorded the privileges, immunities, exemptions, and facilities accorded in Lebanon to heads of diplomatic missions and their spouse and dependents.

Section 3. The IMF shall communicate to Lebanon, and periodically update, the names, and titles if available, of the Resident Representative and IMF Employees and of their spouse, dependents and members of their household staff, to whom the provisions of this Agreement are applicable.

Section 4. Lebanon shall use its best efforts to ensure that visas are issued, in a timely manner and without any charges, to the Resident Representative and all IMF Employees who are not Lebanese nationals and their families, representatives of states or organizations invited by the Office, official visitors to the Office, and guests who are invited to attend meetings or seminars at the Office. Lebanon shall undertake to facilitate, to the extent possible, the entry into and exit from Lebanon of the Resident Representative and non-national IMF employees appointed to the Office.

Section 5. The appropriate authorities in Lebanon shall provide the Resident Representative and non-national IMF Employees assigned to the Office, as identified by the IMF pursuant to Article 6, Section 3 with a special identification card which will serve to identify the card holder to the authorities and to confirm that the holder enjoys the privileges and immunities described in the IMF Articles of Agreement and this Agreement.

Section 6. Upon taking up their posts, the Resident Representative and any other non-national IMF Employees assigned to the Office shall have the right to import - for personal use and free of duty and other charges, including but not limited to exemption from the minimum customs duty, domestic excise tax and value-added tax in respect of the import and export of household goods and personal effects - their household goods and personal effects including a motor vehicle. Lebanon shall grant such vehicles the same type of registration as that issued for vehicles of diplomatic missions accredited in the Republic of Lebanon, which allows their identification as vehicles belonging to officials or employees of an international organization.

Section 7. The spouses and dependents of the Resident Representative and any other non-national IMF Employees assigned to the Office shall have the right to take up paid employment in Lebanon, in accordance with the prevailing local rules and regulations.

Section 8. The privileges, immunities, exemptions and facilities accorded under this Agreement are granted in the interest of the IMF and not for the personal benefit of the individuals themselves. The IMF shall take appropriate measures to ensure that the privileges,

ptions and facilities conferred by this Agreement are not abused. The IMF all times with the appropriate authorities of Lebanon to facilitate the proper ustice and the applicable laws in Lebanon. Should Lebanon consider that urred, consultations shall be held between the government of Lebanon and ine whether any such abuse has occurred and, if so, to ensure that no

Article 7 | Final Provisions

hall enter into force and become final upon its signature by both parties by Lebanon in accordance with applicable procedures. Lebanon shall, ake the measures necessary to implement the provisions stipulated in this hall inform the IMF of the details of the measures it has taken.

ions / sions of this Agreement shall be construed as modifying or amending the greement, or impairing or limiting the rights, immunities, privileges or ed for or specified in the IMF Articles of Agreement.

nnection with or arising from the interpretation or implementation of this e resolved through appropriate consultations and by mutual agreement of

ay be amended by consent of the Parties. The amendments shall come ey are signed by Lebanon and the IMF, as of the date the Lebanese s / es the IMF that the legal procedures required for the amendments' entry en completed.

all / hall be executed in four originals, two in English and two in Arabic, with g equally authentic. In case of divergence between the two versions, the all prevail.

resentatives / presentatives duly authorized thereto, have signed this Agreement.

of 2002 / 2025

For the IMF:

… / migrants | Managing Director

migrants / …

immunities, exemp shall cooperate at administration of ju an abuse has occu the IMF to determ repetition occurs.

Section 1. | This Agreement sh and its ratification within its territory. L / t Agreement, and sh

Section 2. | None of the provis IMF Articles of Ag exemptions provid

Section 3. | Any dispute in con Agreement shall b / be the Parties.

Section 4. | This Agreement m into effect after th government notifie into force have bee

Section 5. | This Agreement sh both versions bein English version sh / sha

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the rep

Done this 25 / 11

For Lebanon:

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Em