In recent years, Libya has faced significant challenges from climate change, with rising temperatures, increased sandstorms, and floods impacting daily life and heightening the risk of natural disasters. Local institutions struggle to effectively respond to these crises due to limited expertise and experience. However, events like the COVID-19 pandemic and Storm Daniel underscored the critical role municipal governments and local crisis management services play in preparing for and responding to emergencies.
To address this growing need, USAID’s Taqarib activity partnered with the Ministry of Local Governance, the 1415 call center, the Boy Scouts, the Libyan Red Crescent, and other ministries to host a two-day conference on disaster preparedness and crisis management. The event gathered 165 participants from 80 municipalities across Libya to discuss coordination, urban planning, and disaster prevention strategies.
Minister of Local Government al-Toumi opened the conference, emphasizing the importance of streamlining response efforts and fostering partnerships to ensure effective communication. International and local experts led sessions on using open-source mapping, developing response plans, and improving cooperation between government agencies, volunteers, and municipalities.
USAID highlighted key policy issues needed to strengthen responses to climate change, disaster management, and emergency response. It also shared best practices for coordinating with civil society organizations and volunteers. The conference concluded with a tabletop exercise to hone participants' response skills. Additionally, nine municipalities signed important mutual aid agreements that will enable the sharing of resources during large-scale emergencies.
USAID continues to bolster emergency preparedness and response in Libya through partnerships that support local emergency response centers with training, equipment, and capacity-building to ensure they can effectively manage future crises when they arise.
Taqarib
Taqarib
