Libya: Access Snapshot (July to December 2023)

Overview

During the second half of 2023, humanitarian and development partners reported a 12% decrease in access constraints compared to the same period in 2022. The variation in the trend and nature of these constraints was influenced by the flood disaster in the East, affecting access during the reporting period.

Pre-flood response:

From July to early September, approximately 38% of the reported constraints faced by humanitarian and development partners involved restrictions on entering Libya. This was primarily due to the suspension of the Presidential Council’s regulation (286) of 2019, creating a legislative vacuum. The absence of a legal framework for NGO registration and visa processes resulted in significant delays and, in some cases, the cancellation of programs and activities. Consequently, there was an increase in systematic interference with implementations, accounting for about 29% of constraints, and denials of access to assistance and services for those in need, making up roughly 19%, particularly in the West and South regions.

During flood emergency response:

Despite the noticeable improvements on specific areas of access such as the expedited visas and movement approvals, the overall humanitarian access was still restricted. Partners continued to encounter interference in implementation and sometimes even denials of access to some affected areas in the East.

Post-flood emergency response:

Following the emergency response to the floods, there was a noticeable shift in access constraints. Restrictions on entering Libya saw a significant decrease, but there was a substantial rise (about 44%) in challenges related to the internal movement of partners. This increase was accompanied by heightened scrutiny, delays, and excessive paperwork for movement approval and data collection activities. Interferences with project implementation emerged as the second most severe constraint, accounting for 32% of all reported issues, while the denial of access to assistance for those in need was the third most reported constraint, representing 12% of the total.
The humanitarian and development communities are calling for support from both national and local Libyan authorities to ensure full and unrestricted access to the affected areas and populations. Additionally, there's a need to address ongoing bureaucratic obstacles by establishing consistent procedures for visas, registration, and security/movement clearances