The Mouta’alleq Centre, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to training and empowering young former militias was opened in Janzur yesterday.
Implementors, French NGO Super Novae, said the centre will support 200 beneficiaries, providing them with the tools and resources to build a path for themselves and their communities. They can access training programmes, counselling services, and development opportunities to gain new skills or start their businesses.
The Mouta’alleq project is funded by the European Union and the French Embassy in Tripoli. It is implemented by Super Novae in partnership with the National Project for Rehabilitation and Reintegration of the Ministry of Labour and Rehabilitation in Libya.
The centre was inaugurated by the Minister of Labour and Rehabilitation, Ali al-Abed and attended by the French Ambassador to Libya, Mustafa Miharaje, Ambassador Jose Sabadell, Head of the European Union Delegation to Libya, Mayor of Janzur Fathi Issa, and Director General of the National Rehabilitation and Reintegration Project, Sami Alous.
Youth are a national resource
Commenting on the importance of the centre and its role in training and rehabilitating ex-militiamen, the director of the centre, Faris Al-Kabaw, told Libya Herald, the centre has been realised after great efforts made to open it and launch start training. he said there is a need to support all young people throughout Libya because of the national resource they represent. The project was designed in order to integrate them by providing vocational programmes that qualify them to enter the labour market and ensure a decent life for them.
Al-Kabaw said the 800 square metre centre consists of 22 training rooms which will welcome former Libyan fighters and help them reintegrate into civilian life with financial support from the European Union and France.
Sustainable jobs
In aiding ex-combatants to start a new business or training for a new job, he said he hoped that that the centre can help create sustainable jobs in addition to introducing them to the basics of entrepreneurship and supporting them in starting their own businesses. This will help around 200 people to reintegrate into Libyan labour market through vocational training and business – as part of a socio-economic reintegration programme.
Militias: away from war and into the civilian labour market
It is worth noting that the centre is the first step in the partnership between the French Supernova Organization and the National Rehabilitation and Reintegration Project, which aims to complete a number of programmes, activities and projects so that young people are removed from the spectre of involvement in wars and armed conflicts.
Ministry of Interior decrees to categorize and DDR militias | (libyaherald.com)
Government climbs down over LPRD board firings | (libyaherald.com)
LPRD spends LD 69 million reintegrating 70,000 ex-fighters | (libyaherald.com)
WAC launches new name and logo, steps up education programmes | (libyaherald.com)
