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Libya

Libya: Flood Response Humanitarian Update (as of 16 January 2024) [EN/AR]

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This report is produced by OCHA Libya in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It covers the period from 16 December 2023 to 16 January 2024. The next report will be issued on or around 15 February 2024.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The Flash Appeal for the Libya flood response has been extended through March 2024 to address residual humanitarian needs and facilitate transition of assistance and support through the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-25 (UNSDCF) for Libya.

  • Four interagency Municipal Operational Plans engaging 26 humanitarian partners can support the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance and drive a smooth phase-out and transition.

  • Key humanitarian needs remain in WASH, Health, Protection, MHPSS and Education with enhanced focus on multipurpose cash assistance.

  • Partners have stepped up winterization support, including WASH, Shelter, NFIs and cash.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

In December 2023, an addendum to the Flood Response Flash Appeal for Libya was released, extending the response to March 2024. This extension seeks to respond to residual humanitarian needs, particularly aimed at targeting the most vulnerable groups, winterization needs, and facilitating the transition of support to programming under the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-25 (UNSDCF) for Libya. This transition is mainly facilitated through the joint operationalization and monitoring of the four Municipal Operational Plans (Derna, Albayda, Sousa, Shahat) endorsed by humanitarian partners in December 2023 which also contributed to extension and revision of the Flash Appeal.

The Flash Appeal’s overall financial requirement of $71.4 million remains unchanged. While the joint planning exercise for extension of the Flash Appeal largely confirmed initial planning assumptions, it also provided a better understanding of the affected areas and communities, market resilience, along with their priorities and preferences. This suggested, for example, placing additional focus on cash (including multi-purpose cash assistance) over in-kind assistance. It also recommended actions aimed at supporting displaced people within host communities rather than in collective sites.

The epidemiological situation in flood-affected areas has stabilized by the end of 2023, according to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). This follows concerted efforts to address the health impact of the September floods. Diarrhoea cases, primarily caused by waterborne pathogens such as escherichia coli and entamoeba species, have declined significantly due to extensive public awareness campaigns discouraging the use of contaminated groundwater for drinking and washing purposes. Respiratory infections remain relatively high, aligning with seasonal trends, dominated by Influenza A rather than COVID-19. There are no reports of vector-borne diseases such as dengue, as water stagnation issues have largely been resolved except in few areas. The NCDC continues to recommend vigilance in water quality management, sustained awareness on disease prevention, and robust surveillance to maintain the current stable health situation.

Following the endorsement of the Addendum Flash Appeal, partners are continuing to receive support from the Interagency Thematic Working Group (ITWG) to revise previous planning and ensure the continuous delivery of essential humanitarian assistance, with a focus on winterization needs, among others. During the reporting period, approximately 75,000 individuals were supported to access to safe water, and 52,318 individuals received non-food items and winterization kits. To date, humanitarian assistance has reached a total of 247,000 individuals.

An updated mapping of existing mechanisms to ensure Accountability to Affected People (AAP) and community feedback mechanisms (CFM) is ongoing. The information collected will guide the coordinated effort to ensure continued access to affected populations, which remains a challenge and requires continuous advocacy efforts.

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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
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