United Nations in Libya

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Libya:

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15 September 2023

The United Nations in Libya steps up support to those affected by Storm Daniel

TRIPOLI – 16 September - On 10 September, storm Daniel hit northeastern Libya with 440mm of torrential rains which caused dams to overflow and burst in Wadi Derna and led to flash floods affecting multiple towns and villages and washing away a quarter of the city of Derna. The human toll is significant and is expected to continue rising. The UN’s is coordinating local and international support and has activated the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) which is coordinating humanitarian needs from Benghazi. In parallel, multiple UN agency teams are on the ground conducting needs assessments to collect more accurate data. “Yesterday, a team of 10 UN agencies conducted field visits to Al Marj, Soussa, Shahat and al Bayda towns,” said Deputy Special Representative for the Secretary General and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Georgette Gagnon. “The UN in Libya is continuing to work with Libyan authorities and international partners to ensure that the right aid, gets to the right people, at the right time,” she added. So far food has been distributed to over 700 households through the World Food Programme (WFP) and 28 tons of medical supplies are enroute via charter flight from the World Health Organizations (WHO), which has also donated ambulances and medical kits. The team continues to work to prevent diseases from taking hold and causing a second devastating crisis in the area. The scale of the disaster means that it is difficult to access affected areas, to communicate with survivors and to obtain reliable data about the situation. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that approximately 884,000 people live in the five provinces most directly affected by the storm and flooding. UNICEF estimates that 30,000 children have been negatively impacted. An emergency Flash Appeal has been launched at the government’s request to coordinate humanitarian relief totaling $70 million. In addition, the Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator allocated $10 million from the UN’s Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) to support people affected by the floods, not only in Derna but across the eastern region.The UN in Libya has also deployed surge staff members to expand its presence in Benghazi to better support the response. “I commend the UN team and partners on the ground for their work in delivering life-saving relief and preventive measures to avert outbreaks of diseases and infection and deliver aid,” said Special Representative of the Secretary General, Abdoulaye Bathily, adding that it was a crisis Libya could not face alone.

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02 October 2023

UN launches year-long leadership training programme for young women from across Libya

TRIPOLI – 28 September 2023 – In September, the UN launched a training programme for 30 young women from across Libya aimed at improving their communication, leadership and advocacy skills as well as increasing their knowledge of elections, gender laws, human rights, and reconciliation. The year-long Ra’idat programme, supported by UNDP, UNICEF and UN Women and led by UNSMIL, started in September with an in-person training session taking place over three days in Tripoli. It will continue in October and then every other month, bringing together the same young women each time who come from different parts of Libya, from different cultural components and have different abilities. “Libyan women often face obstacles in their efforts to engage in advocacy and politics at a decision-making level,” said Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General in Libya and Resident and Humanitarian coordinator, Georgette Gagnon. “The Ra’idat programme aims to support participants to build their skills and engage actively in their communities.” Participants in the programme will also be paired with volunteer mentors from across academia and civil society organisations who will share experiences and help support their development throughout the year. “Young people are an essential pillar for the future of Libya and it is crucial that women and girls are provided with the leadership skills to engage in their communities and help advance the country toward stability and prosperity” said Michele Servadei, UNICEF Representative for Libya. Ra’idat is the first youth programme of its kind for the UN in Libya and sees UNSMIL work jointly with UNICEF, UNDP and UN Women to deliver the training. It is part of the UN’s work under Pillar 1 of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022-2025, which aims to support people in Libya, particularly youth and women, to enable them to better exercise their rights and in an inclusive, stable, democratic and reconciled society. “The word ‘democracy’ means that power belongs to all of the people – not only men, not only the wealthy, not only the most influential,” said Hugo Salamanca Kacic, UNDP/PEPOL Chief Technical Advisor/Programme Manager. “Because elections are a democratic process, their success depends on the participation of everyone. Elections need women,” he added. UN Women added that they were pleased to partner with UNSMIL and other UN agencies to deliver the Ra'idat progrmame which prioritized the inclusion of young women in decision-making and helps ensure that their valuable contributions will pave the way for decisions that reflect the needs and aspirations of people from diverse cultural components and result in positive outcomes for the greater Libya.

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27 September 2023

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator visits flood affected communities in the east

Benghazi - Two weeks since devastating floods in northeastern Libya claimed several thousand lives and ravaged entire neighbourhoods, the United Nations and its partners remain on the ground and continue to provide critical humanitarian assistance and support to affected people in Derna, Benghazi, Al Bayda, Shahat and Soussa. “As families grapple with their losses and consider their future, humanitarian agencies have stepped up to help them meet their basic needs,” said Georgette Gagnon, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Libya, following her second visit to Derna since the floods. According to the World Health Organization, 4,255 deaths have been confirmed due to the floods, with 8,540 people still missing. Humanitarian needs remain critical. UN agencies found that half of the 78 health facilities assessed in Derna and parts of Al-Jabar Al-Akhdar are either partially or totally non-functioning. Rushing floodwaters also destroyed water networks and sewage pipes. Many families displaced by the floods are staying with host families, while others are sheltering in schools as local authorities find solutions for their housing needs. With the imminent start of the school year in eastern Libya, addressing the situation of displaced people staying in schools is an urgent priority. United Nations agencies and partners, who were on the ground in the affected areas within hours of the floods, are providing safe drinking water, medical supplies, hygiene kits, school supplies, blankets, food items and psychosocial first-aid services to people, as well as supporting the establishment of six field hospitals. Gagnon highlighted progress in ongoing efforts to remove debris, rehabilitate roads and deliver humanitarian assistance to affected people. Together with WHO and UNICEF, she reviewed access to essential health services and medical referral paths in Al Bayda and Shahat and met with displaced families in Derna. Gagnon also thanked Libyan and international search and rescue workers for their tireless efforts to find survivors in the most difficult conditions and commended the search and rescue operation. Over the last 14 days, some 800 women and men from 12 countries have supported Libyan efforts on land and at sea. While many international teams have now demobilized, a number remain in Libya to support the Libyan-led recovery effort. In meetings with local authorities, Gagnon discussed the importance of full access by humanitarian workers and the need for strong coordination among relevant national and international stakeholders. She highlighted the need to accelerate early recovery efforts to advance longer-term reconstruction. “What people in Derna and surrounding areas have experienced is tragic beyond words,” Gagnon said. “All the displaced families I met said they have one wish: For their lives to go back to normal. The outpouring of unity, solidarity and support shown by Libyans from all over the country gives me hope this will happen soon.” United Nations agencies have appealed for US$71.4 million to meet the immediate needs of 250,000 affected people in the next three months. Media contact: Amanda Price, amanda.price@un.org, +1 917 853 2839

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17 September 2023

UN delivers aid and support to people affected by Storm Daniel in eastern Libya

TRIPOLI – 17 September – A team from 9 UN entities has been on the ground delivering aid and support to those affected by Storm Daniel and the flash flooding for the last few days. On 15 and 16 September, the UN interagency team conducted field visits to Derna, Shahat, Soussa and al Bayda towns to assess needs. In particular, the UN interagency team was in Derna and the surrounding area assessing needs and delivering aid. As a part of this effort, UNICEF delivered interagency emergency medical kits to primary care services to support 15,000 people as well as supported the dispatch of 32,000 chlorine water purification kits while the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) distributing core relief kits of blankets, plastic tarpaulin and kitchen equipment to 6,200 families in Derna and Benghazi. Since the crisis began, food has been distributed to over 5,000 households through the World Food Programme (WFP) and 28 tons of medical supplies have been shipped by charter flight from the World Health Organization (WHO), which has also donated ambulances and medical kits. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has supported 460 families with non-food items and a further 4,000 in Benghazi with medicine. IOM has four medical teams on the ground offering lifesaving and disease prevention care to internally displaced people, particularly the Tawergha population. Both local officials, aid agencies and the WHO team are concerned about the risk of disease outbreak, particularly from contaminated water and the lack of sanitation. The team continues to work to prevent diseases from taking hold and causing a second devastating crisis in the area. To coordinate the international community’s response, the UN has launched an emergency flash appeal totaling $71.4 million, and $10 million has been allocated from the UN’s Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) to support people affected by the floods. The UN in Libya continues to coordinate with government authorities, local and international partners to ensure that support reaches the affected population in the entire region.

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29 August 2023

Sustainable water through clean and renewable energy, how UNICEF helped rehabilite Znata’s water station.

Securing access to water for himself and other residents was daily struggle for Yousef, a 45-year-old operator and guard at the emergency water station in Tripoli’s Znata district. Much of the water network and its surrounding infrastructure was damaged during the armed conflict, while the budget allocated for maintaining the system has been limited. Yousef recalls a day when a huge number of people flocked to the station in panic, asking for water “as if there was none left on Earth. "That moment was unforgettable," he said. The Znata Water Station used to be a major source of water for the area, producing about 135 m3 or 150,000 liters of water each day. However, after the Man-Made River Project began operating in 1989, the station was neglected, and its capabilities reduced. The wells supplying the station's reservoir were damaged, some were closed, and the reservoir walls eroded and cracked, causing it to leak water. Attempts have been made in the past by the General Water Company to repair and develop the Znata station, but challenges persisted, notably because of the security situation prevailing at the time. In response, UNICEF stepped in and launched, in partnership with Libyan authorities, a rehabilitation project aimed at restoring the station and providing the local population with access to clean water. The project involved repairing and renovating the damaged wells, reinforcing the reservoir walls, and installing new pipes for water distribution and solar panel systems. "We used to have regular power outages at the station,” Yousef explains. “Operating with a generator was not reliable because securing fuel is difficult, and the breakdowns were frequent” he adds, saying that, often, people reacted angrily when asking for water, which the station was unable to provide on a regular basis. “The pumps were out of service, and the tank was not filled. The inability of the station to meet the population's needs exposed the workers to their anger, and sometimes to threats and acts of violence,” he says. This situation is a distant memory now. The repairs have helped restore the station's daily water production and provided reliable access to clean water for the community. This has also contributed to improving residents’ health and wellbeing, reducing their dependence on unreliable and unsafe sources of water, which had been a major cause of illness and disease. UNICEF's work in Znata district is part of efforts to support Libya in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 6 on ensuring access to clean water and sanitation. The rehabilitation of the Znata Water Station is an example of good cooperation between the United Nations and Libyan authorities that not only repaired infrastructure but affirmed a joint commitment to safeguard human dignity and health.

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25 August 2023

UNICEF and the Libyan Ministry of education are rehabilitating schools as part of their efforts to reach SDG 4

Ayham was forced to leave his school in Tripoli when the conflict erupted in March 2020. His school was bombed and destroyed, along with many other educational institutions in Libya that have suffered from the lack of maintenance. The ongoing conflict had put the residents in extreme trepidation, and the heavy bombardment was threatening them from one side while COVID-19 was threatening from the other. When the situation calmed down, Libya’s Ministry of Education of Libya partnered with UNICEF, to identify and rehabilitate the schools that had been most damaged by the conflict. Ayham’s school, Khalifa Alhejaje School in Souq-Aljumaa municipality, Tripoli, was among them. With funding from the German and Japanese governments, the roof was moisture treated, the school was painted inside and out; all doors and windows were replaced; new lights were installed in all the classrooms corridors, and offices; the toilets were maintained; and damage from the bombing was repaired. Ayham was delighted to be able to return to the school that he loves, and he was amazed by all the changes that had happened. "The temporary school was boring and too small; we don't feel comfortable in that place. We love our school, and we feel restful there, we wanted to go back to it," Ayham said. He now feels comfortable in the school, and he appreciates the new environment that has been created. "We used to feel cold sometimes in the winter because of the bad shape the windows were, but now the classroom is cozy and compatible," Ayham said. UNICEF's rehabilitation of the school has not only benefited Ayham but also many other students who are attending there. Ms. Fatema Alkhatab, the assistant principal of the school, has been working there since 1991, stating: "Although we were trying to be distinctive with a high-quality learning environment in the previous years, what happened to the school recently was depressing for us, and we felt disappointed at the beginning, but when we received support from UNICEF, we regained the hope to achieve our goal." Khalifa Alhejaje school is also famous for its sport activities and for discovering talents in football. Youssef Alnajar, the captain of the school's main football team, is in grade six, and he is twelve years old. Youssef's dream is to be a champion in sports, especially football. UNICEF, in partnership with Libyana Telecom Company, supported the school by creating a safe space in the form of a football yard, which added a lot to Youssef, the school, and the surrounding community. "We didn't like the other place we used to study in when our school had been destroyed by missiles as it does not have a football yard," Youssef said. This rehabilitation initiative is emblematic of a broader vision shared by global communities, one that envisions every child, irrespective of their circumstances, receiving quality education. The commitment to restoring the Khalifa Alhejaje school is tied to the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) that seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. UNICEF's dedicated efforts in Libya, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, are pivotal strides towards achieving this goal. It's not merely about reconstructing physical structures; it's about rebuilding futures, fostering resilience, and setting the stage for the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and doers.

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Press Release

28 November 2023

UNSMIL STATEMENT ON THE 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM TO COMBAT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS

UNSMIL calls on all Libyan authorities to foster an environment that respects and protects women and girls in Libya in line with their international obligations. “As we embark on the United Nations Secretary General’s campaign to end violence against women by 2030, I call upon Libyan institutions and political actors to invest in preventing all forms of violence against women,” said Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, Mr. Abdoulaye Bathily. Nearly all female councillors interviewed as part of recent UN Women research had experienced at least one form of political violence during and after their election. These threats came from armed groups, male councillors and community members and included threats of abduction, enforced disappearance, cyber harassment, verbal and psychological violence. “We still live in a male-dominated culture that leaves women vulnerable by denying them equality in dignity and rights,” said the UN Secretary General, António Guterres. UNSMIL encourages all authorities to work toward an effective legal framework which addresses violence against women and girls, both in the private and public sphere, so that they are able to engage in electoral processes as voters and candidates and be meaningfully represented in all levels of decision-making. “Every effort invested in the prevention of violence against women and girls is a significant step towards a safer, more just, and inclusive Libya,” said SRSG Bathily.

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Press Release

22 September 2023

Survivors of Derna floods face trauma, uncertainty

On a two-day visit to Benghazi, Gagnon met with families who fled their flood-ravaged homes and sought safety in Benghazi, 250 kilometers away. They spoke of their loss, and of their concern both for their children’s education, and of the unknown. “It’s heart wrenching to hear what families have gone through and the severe distress they have endured,” Gagnon said. “ The mental toll is very high and support is urgently needed to help people heal.” More than 43,000 people have been displaced by the floods in eastern Libya. Most of them are staying with relatives in nearby areas while some 2,780 people have traveled to Benghazi. In a compound 30 minutes’ drive away from central Benghazi, Gagnon met a family of five who had arrived four days earlier. They told Gagnon that they found themselves in waist-deep water within seconds. All their belongings were swept away and they barely made it out of their home alive. Their house is gone as are many on their street. In addition to medical care, disease control and prevention, and the testing and analysis of water sources, psychosocial support has been identified as one of the priority needs for affected people, according to an assessment by UN agencies who were recently in Albaydha, Derna and Sousse. Aid is getting into Derna and the nearby areas. UNICEF shipped 65 metric tons of life saving medical supplies and water, sanitation and hygiene items, child protection supplies and delivered emergency medical kits to primary care services to support 15,000 people for three months and hygiene kits for almost 1,000 people and 500 clothing kits. Mobile psychosocial support teams are being set up with social welfare authorities and two NGO partners. The UN Refugee Agency is distributing blankets, plastic tarpaulin and kitchen equipment to 6,200 displaced families in Derna and Benghazi. The World Food Programme has distributed food rations to over 9,000 people. This includes dry rations to cover their food needs for 15 days. The World Health Organization shipped 28 tons of medical supplies and donated ambulances and medical kits.  In addition, a WHO team met with the health authorities in Derna today and agreed to prioritize mental health support to help people cope with the distress they experienced during this catastrophe. The International Organization for Migration has delivered non-food items to nearly 3,000 migrants and displaced persons. The agency also delivered medicines and supplies for 5,000 people in Derna and 4,000 families in Benghazi. United Nations agencies have appealed for $71.4 million to meet the immediate needs of 250,000 affected people in the next three months.

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Press Release

14 September 2023

WFP Libya Launch of emergency operations

The World Food Programme (WFP) has begun providing desperately needed food assistance to more than 5,000 families displaced by massive flooding in Libya. Entire neighbourhoods in the city of Derna have disappeared, along with many of their residents, after flood waters from Storm Daniel caused two ageing dams to collapse. On Tuesday, food distributions through WFP’s partner LibAid had already reached 2,000 people who had fled Derna and arrived in the city of Benghazi. On Wednesday, WFP was distributing food to about 700 flood-affected families in four locations of Derna city. “These devastating floods have struck in a country where a profound political crisis has already left so many in a desperate situation. Alongside the tragic loss of life, thousands of families in Derna are now without food or shelter. WFP is on the ground, supporting local efforts and providing assistance to the most vulnerable people as they try to get back on their feet,” said WFP Executive Director, Cindy McCain. The flood waters in the east of the country have damaged critical infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and water supply systems, exacerbating the humanitarian situation. It is estimated that tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the storm and subsequent flooding. WFP is part of the Libya Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM), which brings together local partners and UN agencies, and ensures the quick access needed to provide assistance within 72 hours of a disaster. WFP is working closely with local authorities and United Nations partners. WFP’s planned emergency operation will aim to provide monthly food assistance to 100,000 people in flood-affected areas for three months. WFP is grateful to donors like Japan and Switzerland who provided the funds which allowed WFP to preposition the food stocks which were immediately mobilized for the initial crisis response. WFP's work in Libya is not limited to the current crisis. The organization already supports over 52,000 people - internally displaced people, returnees, and migrants in urban areas - through food assistance and cash grants. Additionally, WFP collaborates with the government on resilience-building activities such as school feeding. By providing ongoing assistance and implementing long-term measures, WFP strives to address the multifaceted challenges faced by vulnerable communities in Libya.

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Press Release

26 June 2023

UN in Libya Releases 2022 Results Report and Launches New Website

26 June 2023
“The UN in Libya’s 2022 Results Report, released today, highlights the collective efforts of 16 UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes and UNSMIL to support people in Libya to achieve sustainable peace and development,” said Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Georgette Gagnon. “This work aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals, which are the most effective way to address the root causes of conflict, build peace and foster national reconciliation.”
Further information about the UN’s work in Libya is showcased in a new UN website, also launched today.
In 2022, the UN implemented 108 projects in 28 locations, including 75 nationally implemented projects that supported improved core government functions, stimulated economic recovery, and built capacity for quality social-service delivery. These projects benefited thousands of people across the country.
The UN facilitated dialogues among political actors, civil society, and many Libyans across the country to support a path to sustainable peace and inclusive, credible national elections. UN technical support was provided on constitutional, legal, and electoral issues and to local and national electoral entities and key stakeholders. To advance inclusive, comprehensive, and rights-based national reconciliation, the UN supported intra-Libyan dialogues, provided technical support to Libya’s Presidential Council and civil society on a draft reconciliation law and empowered networks of local mediators.
To strengthen women’s participation in public and political life, the UN worked with women, government, and civil society to increase women’s representation in electoral, political, and decision-making processes and supported Libyan experts to finalize a draft law on elimination of violence against women. The UN provided technical support to government to enhance child protection and youth justice through improved legal and institutional frameworks and procedures. The UN Mine Action Service supported community security by providing explosive ordnance risk education for 216,000 people across Libya.
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To stimulate economic recovery, the UN in Libya strengthened the supply and demand sides of the labour market by providing job trainings, livelihood support opportunities and innovative business start-up initiatives to more than 76,000 people, including youth and women across the country. At the same time, the UN worked to improve industrial effectiveness in select sectors, such as agriculture and fisheries.
The also UN worked with municipalities and the Ministries of Local Governance and Planning to develop strategic, medium-term municipal development plans and strengthen the work of municipal councils including on delivery of resilient and responsive social services.
With UN support, 60 percent of Libya’s population had their access to basic social services – health care, education, sanitation, and nutrition – restored or maintained in 2022. To build capacity for provision of quality social services, the UN worked with the government to strengthen national information management and evidence-based data collection systems, refurbish infrastructure and train service providers, including healthcare workers, water and sanitation technicians and others. The UN provided access to protection support for the most vulnerable people including migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and persons with special needs.
In 2022, the number of internally displaced people in Libya continued to decrease due to the country’s relatively stable security situation and the UN’s efforts with Libyan authorities to resolve peoples’ humanitarian and displacement-related needs and find durable solutions for them. At the end 2022, the UN estimated that 125,000 people remained internally displaced in Libya representing a 60 per cent decrease since the October 2020 ceasefire agreement.
Over the next three years, the UN’s development efforts in Libya will be guided by the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023-2025), which aligns the work of UN and government actors on four shared strategic priorities and two collective outcomes. The Cooperation Framework is a key tool to implement the Sustainable Development Goals and support inclusive, diversified economic growth that advances the human rights and wellbeing of all people in Libya.
“In 2023, the UN in Libya aims to move full speed ahead to implement the new Cooperation Framework with the government of Libya and development partners through improved strategic coordination and financing for the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030,” DSRSG Gagnon said. “By working together, we can maximize development results on the ground for people across Libya.”
Background
The United Nations in Libya comprises 17 resident and non-resident UN Agencies, Funds, Programmes and entities. Resident UN agencies and entities include: International Organization for Migration (IOM), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), UN Women, World Food Programme (WFP), World Health Organization (WHO), and UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Non-resident agencies include the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Labour Organization (ILO), UN-HABITAT, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS).
The UN in Libya’s main funding partners in 2022 included the European Union, Italy, Germany, United States of America, Libya’s National Oil Company, Netherlands, Austria, France, Japan, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, Finland, and Greece. The UN’s total programme expenditure in 2022 was USD 163.5 million.

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