Key figures
-
199,091 Libyans currently internally displaced (IDPs)
-
304,305 returned IDPs (returns registered in 2017)
-
44,306 registered refugees and asylumseekers in Libya
-
118,853 persons arrived in Italy by sea so far in 2017
-
1,034 monitoring visits to detention centres
-
1,222 asylum-seekers and refugees released from detention
Funding USD 77.2 M requested in 2017
Highlights
On 22 December, UNHCR evacuated 162 highly vulnerable refugees from Libya directly to Italy, with the strong support of the Italian government which facilitated their transport through an Italian military plane. The group was composed of refugees from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Yemen, who had been detained in Libya, and included unaccompanied children and women. An additional evacuation of 131 refugees from Libya to UNHCR’s Emergency Transit Mechanism in Niger is planned for 23 December, bringing the total number of refugees evacuated from Libya to 396 individuals. Last week,
UNHCR launched an urgent appeal calling for 1,300 resettlement places to be made available by the end of March 2018 for vulnerable refugees stranded in Libya.
On 17 December, UNHCR international staff visited Gharyan detention centre, located in the Nafusa Mountains (90 km south of Tripoli) for the first time. UNHCR and its partner IMC are currently providing medical assistance in this centre on a daily basis. UNHCR transferred 150 vulnerable refugees from Gharyan to Triq Al Sikka detention centre to prepare for the forthcoming evacuations to Italy and Niger.
UNHCR Response
On 19 December, the UNHCR Representative visited the Fallah 1 IDP settlement in Tripoli, which currently hosts more than 250 displaced families from Tawergha. The UNHCR team met with community representatives to assess their most pressing needs. Among these are the lack of drinkable water, a precarious electrical system in the settlement, and the lack of food and basic commodities needed for the winter. In response, on 21 December, UNHCR and its partner LibAid coordinated the distribution of core relief items, including blankets and plastic sheets. In addition, UNHCR plans to implement quick impact projects in this settlement in order to improve the living conditions.
Last week, UNHCR delivered medical supplies to the Libyan national health system. This was the third contribution to the Ministry of Health by UNHCR in the last six months, and will support the treatment of persons in need of medical assistance in various part of Libya.
As of 21 December, the Libyan Coast Guard (LCG) rescued/intercepted a total of 15,238 refugees and migrants at sea, an increase of 6.3% compared to 2016 (14,332 individuals). On 16 December, the LCG rescued/intercepted 262 individuals, including 64 Eritreans, six Syrian, and two Ethiopians. UNHCR and its partner IMC provided medical assistance, food, blankets and hygiene kits, and identified prevalent vulnerabilities for potential evacuation or resettlement of the concerned individuals. So far in December, the LGC has rescued/intercepted at sea a total of 1,037 individuals, including 357 refugees and asylum-seekers from Eritrea (68%), Syria (23%), Sudan (4%) and Somalia (3%). Reportedly, all departures took place in areas west of Tripoli, near Garabulli and Al Khoms.