According to central bank statistics, Lebanon's public debt grew to $33.8 billion by the end of July from $33.3 billion a month earlier, Reuters reported.

Total external borrowing rose $59.1 million to reach $18.37 billion at the end of July, the bank said in its monthly bulletin. Domestic debt rose $468 million to reach $25.4 billion.

Lebanon's public debt is among the heftiest in the world at around 184 percent of gross domestic product, most of it accumulated since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war.

Lebanon's new government, formed in July and headed by a former finance minister, has pledged to contain the debt, whose servicing eats up a large part of government revenues. BOP surplus eases Lebanon's balance of payment surplus fell to $359.2 million in July from $497.6 million a month earlier, the central bank said.