The rapid spread across borders of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has shocked the world. This crisis has re-enforced the interdependence of our planet and the urgent need for global action to meet people’s basic needs. Close collaboration and a globally coordinated response are needed to address this pandemic.

Since its creation, and with the support of its core partners, The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have been helping countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capacities and build resilience in order to sustain development results towards the achievement of the sustainable development Goals (SDGs).

The whole humanity has been always facing common challenges that must to be solved through common, global solutions. This is what the SDGs have been always about, and now with COVID-19 is even more clear that the response to the pandemic cannot be de-linked from the SDGs.

With partners, UNDP has helped local governments rebuild economies, repair social systems and restore trust in the face of conflict and climate disaster. To tackle the uniquely challenging and complex COVID-19 crisis, the flexible resources from our core partners are making possible a rapidly design support to countries.

Germany is a fundamental contributor to UNDP initiatives worldwide, enabling efficiencies, development results and innovation in the programmes that UNDP implements.

Germany’s contribution to core resources is allowing UNDP to invest in the socio-economic response, safeguarding progress against the SDGs, and the impact of COVID-19 on inequality and programmatic responses.

In Libya, particularly, Germany is one of the most important partners for UNDP and the main contributor to the Stabilization Facility for Libya (SFL) with more than US$ 32,000,000 of contribution.

Support to recovery and stabilization

The SFL works toward a national goal of strengthening the legitimate and internationally recognized state authorities and fostering national unity for all Libyans. It has completed over 193 projects in 24 municipalities across the country - including all thirteen municipalities of Greater Tripoli - in the West, East and South. Through SFL, UNDP is rehabilitating facilities like hospitals and schools and providing essential equipment, such as ambulances and water pumps, as well as water, sanitation and energy supplies. These projects have been identified to support conflict resolution in each of the municipalities in order to build up local stabilization efforts. The Facility also provides capacity surge to local governments so that they are better able to manage local conflict to ensure local stabilization goals are achieved as well as contribute to support in medium-term planning so that the municipalities have increased capacity to operate once the SFL project ends. 

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, Germany-KfW allows flexibility to use their funding in support of the Libyan Government, especially the Ministry of Health, to procure equipment and rehabilitate facilities that enhances the capacity of Libya to meet the challenges of COVID-19.

The support of KfW and the Government of Germany is essential to ensure that SFL continues being a strategic tool to response to COVID-19 while continue tackling stabilization needs.

Support to Justice, security and Rule of Law

Germany is also a fundamental partner for UNDP Libya’s rule of law and security programme. The UNDP-UNSMIL Policing and Security Joint Programme aims at preventing further erosion of state capacities in Libya by improving the functioning of justice and security institutions, to support the extension of state authority and (re)build the legitimacy of the state by restoring public confidence in the delivery of security and justice services. The programme is been implemented through a holistic and in a balance approach to reform and capacity development of police, justice and corrections institutions in Libya.

Germany contributes to this project with more than $2,500,000, helping to advancing rule of law service through the development of the education system for the High Judicial Institute, the rehabilitation of the High Police Institute, the implementation of a community oriented policing model, and the training of the High Judicial Institute on institutional capacity and responsiveness in handling Sexual and Gender Based violence cases.

In face of COVID-19, the project has initiated plans to support local counterparts respond to needs such as providing PPE to prisons, distributing posters for purpose of raising awareness of COVID-19 and promoting ways to prevent it among prisoners, inmates and visitors, and procuring laptops to enable connectivity with Joint Technical Committee members as well as to judges to explore possibility of conducting remote court procedures.

Germany’s pledged support continues to be critical for the implementation of those initiatives.

Towards a democratic future

With more than $2 million contribution, Germany is the largest donor of the UNSMIL/UNDP Local Elections Project (LEP) to support the Central Committee for Municipal Council Elections (CCMCE). LEP’s support to the planning and implementation of inclusive election operations including on voter registration, and facilitation of democratic participation through support to voter and civic education and awareness raising activities. 

The project supported the CCMCE with the conduct of a series of elections between 2018/2019. Three first-generation municipal council elections were held in 2018, and 22 second-generation municipal council elections in 2019.  The project is also supporting the newly elected municipal councils to enhancing the outreach and communication capacities of the councils to increase democratic participation in-between elections, so that citizens understand better the challenges of the elected councils and better appreciate local democracy.

At least 38 municipalities are scheduled to have elections until the end of 2020; the first 6 municipalities are expected to hold elections in August, pending approval of the national High (Supreme) Committee to combat COVID-19. 

The project is providing support to CCMCE’s civic and voter education online activities to ensure voter mobilization and inclusive participation in upcoming local elections and is setting forth the conduct of the third module of its Post-Election Initiative to be held online. 

The project is also procuring electoral materials and equipment to support the CCMCE, including procurements to replace recently destroyed electoral materials as a result of shelling at the CCMCE main warehouse, and COVID-19 specific hygiene materials. 

Since the outbreak of the pandemic in Libya, the project supported the CCMCE with the development of COVID-19 specific procedures and preventive protocols for electoral operations including polling.  

Furthermore, Germany is a key donor of UNDP Libya’s electoral support project (PEPOL) in support of the national elections and the High National Election Commission (HNEC). With the  German contribution of 1.18 million, The PEPOL project is strengthening the capacity of the HNEC to conduct national elections in Libya in a credible, transparent and inclusive manner, and to work with other electoral stakeholders in support of that effort, and its readiness to plan and conduct elections when called for.

UNDP strategic partnership with Germany at the global level and in Libya, as in other countries, are a fundamental pillar of stabilization and development support in the country.