Partnership is at the heart of everything the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) does in Libya. UNDP is working in Libya with local governments and national institutions, civil society organizations (CSOs), private sector, international and local NGO’s, other UN agencies, international financial institutions and the international community to cut across diverse development issues and settings with the aim of supporting the country towards stabilization, recovery and resilience. Helping Libya go back to the development path means providing support to local actors so that they can create the changes that the country needs to deliver basic services in the areas of health, education, water and sanitation, but also economic recovery, security, rule of law, and human rights among others sectors.
Despite the challenges of operating in a conflict affected area and the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, UNDP is on the ground to ensure that when working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals no one is left behind.
UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Gerardo Noto, is in Libya working together with all these actors that can make the change in the country a reality, strengthening the means of implementation and revitalizing partnership for sustainable development, since as Goal 17 sets, the global goals can only be met if we work together.
As part of its efforts to promote democratic governance in Libya, since 2018, UNDP together with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), supports the High National Elections Commission (HNEC) to strengthen its capacity to plan and prepare for elections. UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Noto, and the German Ambassador, Mr. Owcza, signed an agreement by which Germany increased its contribution with US$ 400,000 to support UNDP’s ‘Promoting Elections for the People of Libya’ project, raising the total funds from Germany to the project to $1,581,000. The signing ceremony took place at the Headquarters of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC) in Tripoli in the presence of Dr. Emad Al-Sayah, HNEC Chairperson.
With the goal of helping Libya to become more resilient to face man-made & natural disasters and crises, Mr. Noto met with representatives from the Government of Libya to discuss further details of a new crisis management governance system project.
In an attempt to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus, as part of a coordinated effort to facilitate improved access to healthcare for all people in Libya, and as a successful example of a private-public partnership, UNDP with support from the Government of Japan, has partnered with Speetar, a private sector startup company based in Tripoli, and the Ministry of Health, to develop the first Telemedicine initiative in Libya. The App developed by Speetar and supported by UNDP will help hundreds of people having access to health services particularly the most vulnerables.
Through support to the Central Commission for Municipal Council Elections (CCMCE), UNDP is contributing to the timely planning, preparation and conduct of municipal elections across Libya. 38 councils have been selected since 2018, with the latest one in Garahbouli, where UNDP Resident Representative witnessed at the polling stations citizens determination to build accountable institutions.
Nowadays, one of UNDP's main priority in Libya is to continue serving people by assisting the National and Local Governments and institutions to provide access to health services and to respond to COVID-19 urgently and effectively. UNDP’s Resident Representative handed over COVID-19 equipment consisting of 10 ICU ventilators to WHO that will distribute the equipment to six municipalities across Libya based on an agreed distribution plan with Ministry of Health and UNDP. This activity represents joint efforts between UNDP and WHO to provide support to the Libyan authorities to respond to COVID 19.
Mr. Noto paid a field visit to the Primary Health Care Center Al-Shifa in the municipality of Qasr Bin Ghashir, in South Tripoli, where SFL provided equipment for the analysis laboratory helping the center to improve health services for people with limited income who do not need to worry about the costs of medical tests anymore as the center started providing the services for free.
Together with the Director of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Planning, Mr. Essam Garba, UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Gerardo Noto, participated in the handover of Ali Omar Asker Hospital in Tripoli to the local authorities after its rehabilitation. Qaser Bin Geshir Mayor, Mr. Khaled Otman, and Al Sabiaa Mayor, Mr. Walid Saber, attended also the ceremony. The Obstetrics and Gynecology Department and the Emergency Department of the Hospital provide services to Al-Sabiaa, Souq Al-Khamis, Qasr Bin Ghashir, Sidi Al-Saih as well as Al-Azizia, Al-Zahraa, Gharyan, and Tarhuna Municipalities. The Department of Neurosurgery receives patients from all over Libya as it is the only specialized center in the country. SFL’s rehabilitation allowed the hospital to deliver medical services for more than 10,000 people a year.
He also visited the Masoud Souissi School in the same municipality that will be soon rehabilitated by UNDP's Stabilization Facility for Libya. Considered the largest school in the region, it was severely damaged by the conflict.
In partnership with UNWOMEN and through “We Shape our Future” project, UNDP in Libya is supporting 12 initiatives from CSOs across the country to empower women and youth. One of these initiatives is carried out by Atwar organization in Tajoura aimed at providing 29 women and youth with the skills to open their own small business to support themselves and their families with a decent living income. Mr. Gerardo had the opportunity to meet the trainers during the final day of the training when participants received their certificates of accomplishment.
Empowering media is key for making progress on inclusive governance, peace and sustainable development towards the achievement of the Agenda 2030. Ministry of Labor in Tripoli organized a workshop for Libyan journalists to enhance the role of media in Libya innovatively under the theme: “Fourth Power” to give voice to the people. During the event, UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Gerardo Noto, made a speech highlighting the importance of respecting the work of journalists and the role that media plays in building democracy and citizen participation, “Media has an indisputable role to play to pressure public institutions to achieve transparency, legitimacy, and inclusion of all, in particular women and youth, and every social and ethnic group in Libya,” he said.
UNDP works in Libya with communities and societies affected by the conflict for early and long-term economic and livelihoods recovery. This week, Mr. Noto signed an agreement with Minister of Labour, Mr. Al-Mahdi Al-Amin, to collaborate on a series of initiatives that will advance the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, by providing sustainable income opportunities for people affected by the crisis in Libya, with a special focus on women, youth, migrants and refugees.