Stabilization Facility for Libya Endorses Benghazi, Obari and Kikla for a Quick Assessment
The Stabilization Facility for Libya Project Board met this morning in Tunis under the leadership of HE Dr. Taher Al-Jehaimi, Minister of Planning and Mr. Ali Al-Za’tari, the Deputy SRSG and UNDP Resident Representative, as well as the Ambassadors or representatives of the EU, Germany, Italy, Qatar, Switzerland, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States of America.

The Board decided that the first locations benefitting from the support of the Facility would be in Benghazi, Obari and Kikla. The decision was made based on careful review of the selection criteria and consensus among the Board members that these three locations had experienced the most damage in the East, South and West regions of Libya respectively, whilst also having stable enough security situation for the Facility to be able to start working.

HE Dr. Taher Al-Jehaimi said he was very pleased to initiate the Stabilization Facility for Libya with the support of UNDP, and that the Government believed the project would deliver critical quick improvements on the ground. He also promised that the Libyan Government would match the contribution of the international partners to the Facility, increasing the pledges to the Project from $30 million to $60 million.

Mr. Ali Al-Za’tari thanked the Libyan Government for their leadership in establishing the Facility as well as for their financial contribution, and highlighted that the Facility will work together with the Government and the relevant local authorities in Libya. He was pleased that the Board members were able to reach a consensus on the locations so fast and said that this would set the precedent for good collaboration between the Libyan Government, the UN and the international community.

The Board members were pleased about the quick set up of the Facility and welcomed the leadership by the Libyan Government. They stressed the need for a quick implementation pace and the value of communicating results to the people of Libya. Ms. Sanna Tasala, UNDP Stabilization Project Manager, promised that the needs assessment would be started during Ramadhan in consultation with the Government and the local authorities to ensure that the Project could deliver quick benefits to the people in Benghazi, Obari and Kikla who had suffered from the destruction caused by conflict.

The Stabilization Facility will provide rehabilitation of critical infrastructure destroyed by conflict to improve basic service delivery. The interventions of the Stabilization Facility will be implemented by UNDP and will be selected based on needs assessment on the ground. The priorities will be jointly agreed among the GNA, local authorities, civil society and affected population.