The devastating floods that recently hit the city of Ghat, south-west of Libya, left thousands of people homeless, caused power and communication breakdown, damaged houses and public infrastructure, and put the city on risk of health disaster due to the mixed sewage and rainwater. Just before the heavy rains, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) committed to including Ghat in the list of the southern cities where recovery and resilience activities are being implemented.

With $1.2 million funding from the European Union under a resilience and recovery initiative implemented in partnership with UNICEF and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, and with $2 million from the Stabilization Facility for Libya, UNDP will be able to help Ghat Municipality to assist flood-stricken people in getting access to health, food, water, and environmental sanitation among other sectors.

“Thanks to our donors, and under our Stabilization and, Resilience and Recovery programmes, UNDP has already provided Murzuq, Sebha, and Ubari with critical equipment and rehabilitated public infrastructures. To address the urgent needs in Ghat that the UN delegation witnessed during our recent visit, we have already started the procurement processes to reach the city in the coming weeks,” says UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Gerardo Noto.

UNDP supported the South of Libya with $8 million and committed new projects for $6 million more.

Currently, UNDP is helping six municipalities in the south to provide basic services such as access to healthcare, education, and water, through rehabilitating schools, hospitals and providing sewage pumps.

For more information please contact: media.ly@undp.org