The cities of Sirte and Sebha will receive a package of $US 10 million dollars aimed at rebuilding the battered health and education sectors as well as water and power supplies for their residents, estimated at about 250,000 before most of them fled the fighting.

The decision to allocate the money was made today at a board meeting of the Stabilization Facility for Libya (SFL) initiative, which is chaired by the GNA with member representatives of the donor countries, and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme.

“This support could not have come at a better time as we hope the citizens in these two cities can start returning and feeling safe again and gain access to the services they need,” said Essam Garbaa, who is the director of technical cooperation at the Ministry of Planning.

The amount of $US7.6 million dollars will be allocated to the central city of Sirte, which has recently witnessed some of the worst fighting in Libya resulting in the destructions of homes and infrastructure and an overall collapse in health and education services. Nearly two-thirds of its estimated 150,000 residents have fled the repeated fighting since 2011.

Earmarked under the package is rebuilding the Ibn Sina Hospital, four health centres in and around the city as well as offering mobile clinics, ambulances, solar panels and power generators for the hospitals and two schools.
The southern city of Sebha will receive $US2 million dollars to restore services in the main hospital, two health centres, the water supply, and refuse collection. 

“SFL is mandated to make useful changes on the ground for the Libyans so they can resume their lives,” said Noura Hamladji, UNDP Libya’s country director. “The families should be able to have power and water in their homes, children should be able to go back to safe schools and hospitals must start running again and we are hopeful this package will achieve some of this,” she added.