By Libya Herald reporter.
Tunis, 14 June 2017:
The EU is to give another €5 million ($5.62 million) to the Stabilisation Facility for Libya (SFL) to improve basic public services, its ambassador Bettina Muscheidt announced today in Tripoli. She made the announcement following a meeting of the SFL’s board today in Tripoli’s Corinthia Hotel.
The SFL, which is co-chaired by the Presidency Council’s Ministry of Planning and the UN Deputy Special Representative in her capacity as head of the UNDP in Libya, was launched in April last year and aims to rehabilitate crucial infrastructure at local level. The focus is on areas of the country damaged as a result of fighting either during the revolution or since – specifically Benghazi, Kikla, Obari, Sebha and Sirte.
Last year just over $32 million was donated, including a first €5 million from the EU. This has been used to fund a number of projects, such as new ambulances for Sirte’s Ibn Sina hospital, two ambulances and a garbage truck for Obari, solar panels and generators for hospitals, computers for schools, municipal internet services.
Muscheidt told reporters that “Libya’s people cannot wait. Families across the country are in dire need of services. They want a return of normality”.
“This is where the Stabilisation Facility can make a difference in helping the Libyan government to improve lives and alleviate the suffering in areas most affected by the conflict across regions of Libya. The priority is to facilitate the return of public services,” she added.
The SFL’s target is $60 million, of which half is supposed to come from the government of national unity (GNA) and half from foreign donors.
Attending today’s board meeting were ambassadors from a number of donors including those of France, Italy, South Korea and the UK as well the EU’s Muscheidt and the PC’s Planning Minister Taher Al-Juhaimi.
So far, nothing is reported to have come from the GNA.
