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Libya + 1 more

Libya Assistance Overview - November 2024

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CONTEXT

  • Libya has experienced widespread armed conflict, civil unrest, and political instability since 2011. While the humanitarian situation in the country has improved since an October 2020 ceasefire agreement, Libya’s population continues to suffer the effects of political and economic instability amid ongoing violence. Migrant populations— including asylum-seekers, refugees, and other non-Libyan populations residing in and transiting through Libya—and internally displaced persons (IDPs), remain among the most vulnerable populations, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
  • Libya remains a major transit country for refugees and migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa, with more than 760,000 migrants estimated to be in-country as of July 2024, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Conflict in Sudan since April 2023 has driven more than 102,000 Sudanese refugees to flee across the border into Libya as of October 2024, with the majority of refugees residing in areas near Libya’s borders with Chad, Egypt, and Sudan. The influx of migrants has exerted further pressure on already limited local infrastructure and resources, resulting in shortages of food, water, and medical services, exacerbating humanitarian needs amongst migrants and vulnerable Libyan community members alike. Migrants also face heightened risk of experiencing protection violations—including arbitrary detention, forced labor, restricted freedom of movement, and sexual violence—and require protection assistance, the UN reports. Furthermore, the children of migrants, particularly Sudanese children, lack access to adequate nutrition, healthcare, and proper sanitation, increasing their risk of disease and malnutrition.
  • Political instability and bureaucratic impediments have restricted humanitarian access to eastern Libya, adversely affecting nongovernmental organization (NGO) operations. Local authorities in eastern Libya regularly limit international NGOs from operating in the area, reducing international organizations’ access to populations in need. These continued restrictions hinder the delivery of humanitarian aid to vulnerable groups.
  • Libya faces risks from natural hazards, such as drought and flooding, which can result in displacement, loss of livelihoods, and the destruction of property. The protracted effects of Storm Daniel, which generated significant flooding after making landfall in September 2023, continue to adversely affect vulnerable populations and exacerbate humanitarian needs, primarily in northeastern Libya.