The Lebanese Swiss Association (LSA) convened at its headquarters in Winterthur, Switzerland, to host the “Winterthur Conference 2020 for Lebanon,” with the participation of the following speakers: Wadih Assaf, Elian Sarkis, Nadine Moussa, Linda Boulos Macari, Pierre Sokhn, and Forrest Partovi.

Following the conference, participants unanimously agreed on the following recommendations:

• The immediate precautionary freezing of overseas bank accounts belonging to senior Lebanese political officials and their relatives (Politically Exposed Persons), particularly in Switzerland, France, and the United States, pending a transparent investigation into the disappearance of billions of dollars from the Lebanese treasury, and as a preparatory step toward the recovery of misappropriated funds.

• The enforcement of laws addressing illicit enrichment.

• The recognition of large-scale, systemic corruption as a crime against humanity, and the prosecution of those responsible before international courts in accordance with international criminal law.

• The immediate resignation of all corrupt ruling authorities in Lebanon.

• The formation of a government composed of independent specialists, entrusted with legislative powers.

• The implementation of electoral reforms through the organization of transparent and democratic elections under international supervision, in accordance with Article 22 of the Lebanese Constitution.

• The launch of a foundational reform program to strengthen the separation of powers and ensure the independence of the judiciary.

• The adoption of a policy of neutrality in foreign affairs, alongside the full implementation of all United Nations Security Council resolutions related to Lebanon.

• The execution of a comprehensive forensic audit of the public sector conducted by international experts.

• The establishment of an international criminal court to prosecute those responsible for crimes against humanity and financial crimes committed in Lebanon.

The participants further emphasized that there can be no sustainable resolution to the crisis through repeated external interventions alone. In this context, they called for the application of Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter and recommended the following measures:

• Strict adherence to all United Nations resolutions and the Taif Agreement, particularly provisions related to the disarmament of militias and the restoration of full state sovereignty over Lebanese territory.

• The extension of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mandate to cover all Lebanese land, sea, and air borders.

Lebanese Swiss Association

Switzerland 12 September 2020