Tripoli, 26 June 2023 – In 2022, the United Nations in Libya worked to advance sustainable peace and development for people across Libya by strengthening governance, restoring access to basic social services, and improving economic opportunities.

“The UN in Libya’s 2022 Results Report, released today, highlights the collective efforts of 16 UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes and UNSMIL to support people in Libya to achieve sustainable peace and development,” said Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Georgette Gagnon. “This work aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals, which are the most effective way to address the root causes of conflict, build peace and foster national reconciliation.”

Further information about the UN’s work in Libya is showcased in a new UN website, also launched today.

In 2022, the UN implemented 108 projects in 28 locations, including 75 nationally implemented projects that supported improved core government functions, stimulated economic recovery, and built capacity for quality social-service delivery. These projects benefited thousands of people across the country.

The UN facilitated dialogues among political actors, civil society, and many Libyans across the country to support a path to sustainable peace and inclusive, credible national elections. UN technical support was provided on constitutional, legal, and electoral issues and to local and national electoral entities and key stakeholders. To advance inclusive, comprehensive, and rights-based national reconciliation, the UN supported intra-Libyan dialogues, provided technical support to Libya’s Presidential Council and civil society on a draft reconciliation law and empowered networks of local mediators.

To strengthen women’s participation in public and political life, the UN worked with women, government, and civil society to increase women’s representation in electoral, political, and decision-making processes and supported Libyan experts to finalize a draft law on elimination of violence against women. The UN provided technical support to government to enhance child protection and youth justice through improved legal and institutional frameworks and procedures. The UN Mine Action Service supported community security by providing explosive ordnance risk education for 216,000 people across Libya.

To stimulate economic recovery, the UN in Libya strengthened the supply and demand sides of the labour market by providing job trainings, livelihood support opportunities and innovative business start-up initiatives to more than 76,000 people, including youth and women across the country. At the same time, the UN worked to improve industrial effectiveness in select sectors, such as agriculture and fisheries.

The also UN worked with municipalities and the Ministries of Local Governance and Planning to develop strategic, medium-term municipal development plans and strengthen the work of municipal councils including on delivery of resilient and responsive social services.

With UN support, 60 percent of Libya’s population had their access to basic social services – health care, education, sanitation, and nutrition – restored or maintained in 2022.  To build capacity for provision of quality social services, the UN worked with the government to strengthen national information management and evidence-based data collection systems, refurbish infrastructure and train service providers, including healthcare workers, water and sanitation technicians and others. The UN provided access to protection support for the most vulnerable people including migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and persons with special needs.

In 2022, the number of internally displaced people in Libya continued to decrease due to the country’s relatively stable security situation and the UN’s efforts with Libyan authorities to resolve peoples’ humanitarian and displacement-related needs and find durable solutions for them. At the end 2022, the UN estimated that 125,000 people remained internally displaced in Libya representing a 60 per cent decrease since the October 2020 ceasefire agreement.

Over the next three years, the UN’s development efforts in Libya will be guided by the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023-2025), which aligns the work of UN and government actors on four shared strategic priorities and two collective outcomes. The Cooperation Framework is a key tool to implement the Sustainable Development Goals and support inclusive, diversified economic growth that advances the human rights and wellbeing of all people in Libya.

“In 2023, the UN in Libya aims to move full speed ahead to implement the new Cooperation Framework with the government of Libya and development partners through improved strategic coordination and financing for the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030,” DSRSG Gagnon said. “By working together, we can maximize development results on the ground for people across Libya.”

Background

The United Nations in Libya comprises 17 resident and non-resident UN Agencies, Funds, Programmes and entities. Resident UN agencies and entities include: International Organization for Migration (IOM), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), UN Women, World Food Programme (WFP), World Health Organization (WHO), and UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Non-resident agencies include the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Labour Organization (ILO), UN-HABITAT, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

The UN in Libya’s main funding partners in 2022 included the European Union, Italy, Germany, United States of America, Libya’s National Oil Company, Netherlands, Austria, France, Japan, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, Finland, and Greece. The UN’s total programme expenditure in 2022 was USD 163.5 million.