UNSMIL has launched an appeal for US$313 from donors as part of its 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan to support some one million Libyans in urgent need of aid.
Working with 21 international and national organisations and NGO’s, the plan made up of 71 projects is focused on three key objectives; protecting people’s human rights, supporting access to basic services for the most vulnerable and strengthening the humanitarian response.
The targeted groups are the internally displaced, returnees, the most vulnerable non-displaced Libyans, migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers.
The appeal was launched at the Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli and attended by UNSMIL chief Ghassan Salame, his deputy Maria Ribeiro, Presidency Council head Faiez Serraj and one of his deputies Ahmed Maetig. The PC announced it would provide $5 million of the required total.
“The difficulties people in Libya face in providing for their basic needs are real and we all need to be aware of the human cost of inaction,” said Ribeiro.
“In my interactions with Libyan men, women and children I see people who want to feel safe, have their rights respected and know that they do not have to live from day to day,” she added.
“The 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan for Libya is being launched at a time when efforts are needed more than ever to address the challenges of restoring stability in Libya,” Serraj told reporters.
UNSMIL said the availability of food, fuel, water and sanitation, electricity and medical supplies have decreased and the provision of health care and public services continues to decline. This was only making the humanitarian situation worse it said.
“We are investing all UN competencies – humanitarian, development, human rights and political – to improve the living conditions of Libyans,” Salame added.
The 2017 appeal targeted at least 540,000 ordinary Libyans and had asked for $151.
