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Highlights
On 29 July, UNHCR evacuated 119 refugees from Libya to Italy through the humanitarian corridor. The majority of those who were evacuated are refugees from Sudan and Eritrea followed by Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and Syria. Among the evacuated individuals were women at risk, survivors of violence, and people with severe medical conditions. Since 2017, more than 12,000 people have departed to third countries via evacuation, resettlement, and complementary pathways, with 767 individuals departing so far in 2024.
On 17 July, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner Raouf Mazou visited Tripoli to participate in the TransMediterranean Migration Forum (TMMF) organized by the Government of National Unity (GNU). During his first visit to Libya, the Assistant High Commissioner met with the Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator (RC/HC) and the EU Ambassador and visited the UNHCR Registration Centre.
Sudanese refugees continue to arrive in Libya following the outbreak of conflict in Sudan in mid-April 2023. As of end July, there are 42,418 registered Sudanese refugees and asylum-seekers, 22,570 of whom arrived following the start of the conflict. UNHCR continues to engage with Sudanese refugees across the country to assess protection risks and identify the needs of new arrivals. These efforts include house visits, in-depth protection needs assessments, phone verifications and consultations with the community. Since the beginning of the year, UNHCR conducted phone verifications for more than 1,900 households. Individual assistance is provided based on available resources, prioritizing those at heightened risks such as women with children, unaccompanied children and elderly people and includes family reunification when possible.
Since the onset of the conflict in Sudan, UNHCR has reached more than 10,000 Sudanese refugees across the country with non-food items (NFIs) and hygiene kits distribution. On 4 July, UNHCR with partner LibAid distributed 625 hygiene kits to persons held in Ganfouda detention centre (including Sudanese refugees). On 15 July, with partner LibAid, UNHCR dispatched through an air transport medical equipment, a power generator, and NFIs to Alkufra. The medical equipment was handed over to the General Hospital and contains hospital beds, wheelchairs, electrocardiographs, infusion pumps, sterilization and laboratory equipment. Earlier this year in May, UNHCR also delivered essential medicines to health authorities in Alkufra to support covering the needs of more than 15,000 patients in Alkufra hospitals, among them many Sudanese refugees. Between 18-20 July, UNHCR partner LibAid distributed CRI kits to 1,000 refugee families in Alkufra, mainly newly arrived Sudanese refugees containing mattresses, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps, kitchen sets, plastic sheets and jerry cans.
On 2 July, Libya and Uganda were added and incorporated into the Regional Refugee Response Plan for Sudan (RRP), in addition to the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.
The RRP now requires $1.5 billion, up from $1.4 billion in January, to assist and protect up to 3.3 million people forced to flee until the end of 2024, as well as local communities in neighbouring countries, with the Libya financial requirements accounting of USD 48.6 million.
Between 8 and 13 July, a UN interagency mission composed of UNHCR, OCHA, WFP, IOM, UNICEF and UNFPA was conducted to Alkufra, the main entry point for Sudanese refugees to Libya. The mission participants met with authorities, including the Mayor of Alkufra, as well as representatives of health, emergency, social affairs, water, education, environment, and electricity sectors, and discussed the needs in the city. The delegation also visited locations of Sudanese refugees in Alkufra and met with representatives of the Sudanese community.
On 18 July, the UNHCR Libya Chief of Mission, Aseer Al-Madaien visited Alkufra in the southeast of Libya in the context of an inter-agency mission led by DSRSG/RC/HC, and participated by head of agencies from UNICEF, IOM, WHO and WFP. The delegation visited the General Hospital and met with the Mayor of Alkufra, the Joint Security Emergency Committee and others. On 30 July, as a follow up, the Chief of Mission visited Benghazi with the DSRSG/RC/HC to discuss with authorities the planned assistance to Sudanese refugees and the host community in Alkufra.
UNHCR, with partner International Rescue Committee (IRC), continues to provide medical assistance to asylum-seekers and refugees in the urban setting. So far in 2024, UNHCR provided a total of 10,876 medical consultations, 1,420 mental health consultations, and 1,080 referrals. Through the 24/7 medical hotline, UNHCR assisted more than 600 individuals. Additionally, UNHCR provided more than 2,700 medical consultations at detention centres and almost 600 at disembarkation points.
Cash assistance is key to building the resilience of asylum-seekers and refugees with heightened protection risks. Since the start of 2024, UNHCR, together with partners CESVI and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), provided emergency cash assistance and vouchers to over 1,500 individuals to cover their basic needs.