Attachments
Highlights
On 31 August, UNHCR evacuated 101 asylum seekers, including 22 women and 38 children, from Libya to safety in Rwanda. The group will receive shelter and assistance at the Emergency Transit Mechanism in Gashora. On 5 September, 33 refugees, including ten women and 15 children, were resettled from Libya to Europe. Since 2017, 8,919 asylum seekers and refugees have departed from Libya on direct resettlement and evacuation flights, as well as through complementary pathways including humanitarian visas and family reunification. UNHCR is grateful to the relevant Libyan authorities for their support in facilitating necessary formalities for these humanitarian evacuation flights and continues to urge countries to provide more legal pathways to help some of the most vulnerable people reach safety out of Libya.
On 30 August, a ceremony was held, marking the completion of rehabilitation work at the Arab Al-Sahraa School in Bent Baya municipality south of Libya, hosting Libyan and non-Libyan students. The work, overseen by partner ACTED, included rehabilitating bathrooms, doors, windows, installing a new electrical system, and repainting of the premises. Quick Impact Projects like this aim to improve peoples’ access to local services and promote peaceful coexistence in areas hosting displaced Libyans, returnees, and asylum seekers.
Population Movements
So far in 2022, 15,303 asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants have been reported as rescued or intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard (LCG), the General Administration of Coastal Security (GACS) and the Libyan Navy over 130 operations. Last week, 14 rescue/interception operations were carried out by the LCG, Stabilization Support Apparatus (SSA), GACS, Counter-Terrorism Force (CTF), 51st Infantry Brigade, and Zwara Criminal Investigation Department, with eight disembarkations at Tripoli Naval Base and Tripoli Commercial Port (TCP), two at Al Maya disembarkation point (DP), and one at Azzawya Marsa Delah, two in Garabulli DP, and one in Zwara, with 1,074 survivors. UNHCR did not have access to the disembarkations. At the operations carried out by LCG and GACS, 44 persons of concern to UNHCR were identified. Partner International Rescue Committee (IRC) responded to four disembarkations at TCP and provided food and medical consultations to the survivors.
UNHCR Response
UNHCR, with partners, continues to provide help and services to some of the most vulnerable asylum seekers and refugees. Last week, IRC distributed hygiene kits and baby diapers to 20 individuals, including nine women and three children, at the Community Day Centre (CDC). On 3 and 4 September, UNHCR together with WFP distributed food assistance to over 340 households (1,580 individuals) in Azzawya and Misrata. At the Serraj Registration Centre, UNHCR identified 16 individuals who managed to escape or who were released from trafficking camps. They were all referred for protection interviews to identify their needs and provide the necessary assistance. Last week, nine best interest assessments and 17 protection needs assessments were conducted with children and adults to identify their protection concerns and assess their needs, including referrals to specialized services.
Through partner IRC, UNHCR provides health services at different public primary healthcare centres in Tripoli. During the reporting period, IRC provided 149 general health and reproductive health consultations, 69 mental health consultations and referred 38 cases to public hospitals and private clinics. IRC medical team supported 31 individuals through the 24/7 hotline, 20 of whom were referred for secondary medical assessments. Visits were carried out to Triq Al-Sikka and Ain Zara detention centres (DCs), and more than 100 medical consultations were provided.