The World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU), the largest Lebanese Diaspora organization in the world, declared that Lebanese expatriates continue to cautiously watch the financial and economic developments in Lebanon, given the significant impact of such events on their decision to invest in the country. It noted that the negative rumors that have been circulating about the Lebanese economy have triggered concerns within the Lebanese Diaspora, especially among depositors and investors.

The WLCU raised four points related to Lebanon's financial situation and ongoing discussions about the 2019 draft budget. First, it reiterated its confidence in Banque du Liban's (BdL) policies that have maintained the stability of the exchange rate. Second, it indicated that, in 2017, it opposed the government's decision to raise the tax rate on the interest earned on deposits at Lebanese banks from 5% to 7%, as it considered that expatriates were already paying high tax rates, that reach up to 35%, on their income in their countries of residence. In this context, it said that the proposed measure in the 2019 draft budget to further increase the tax rate on deposit rates to 10% would discourage large expatriate depositors from placing their money in Lebanon and, instead, resort to countries that offer better incentives. It noted that smaller expatriate depositors, who place their deposits in Lebanon as part of their retirement plan, will suffer as a result of higher tax rates on their deposits. Overall, it stressed that Lebanese authorities should provide special incentives and exemptions to expatriate depositors so that they would continue to place their money in Lebanon.

Third, it considered that Parliament enacted in 2017 the increase in the public-sector wages and salaries without having an economic plan in place, a decision that could have been motivated by the approaching elections at the time. 

Fourth, it reiterated that the government would not be able to narrow the fiscal deficit by raising taxes. It added that achieving a narrower deficit requires austerity measures that target the over-sized public sector, as well as the random and politically-driven employment in the public administration. It added that the increase in taxes could lead to economic stagnation or recession. It noted that higher taxes demonstrate the government's inability to formulate a well-defined fiscal policy to support investment and production. Overall, it considered that any economic vision that is not based on incentives to encourage investment or attract capital would simply fail.