Derna, a pivotal city in Libya, is currently setting the stage for the International Reconstruction Conference—a direct response to the ruin brought by Hurricane Daniel.
The Supreme Preparatory Committee, responsible for orchestrating this significant event, made an evaluative visit to Derna on Friday. They want to ensure that the city is primed to host the international delegates.
According to local press reports, the committee’s field visit centered on evaluating the city’s readiness, particularly the conference venue. Recommendations were made to refine the event’s logistics, and a special note of appreciation was extended to Derna’s Military Security Chamber for their unwavering commitment to the conference’s success.
Set to unfurl on the 1st and 2nd of November, the conference will span two major Libyan cities: Derna and Benghazi. Its focus is not just on the revitalisation of infrastructure but also a broader push for regional healing.
In a budgetary context, Mohammed Shoubar, representing the “Initiative of Libyan National Forces,” commented on Libya’s fiscal landscape. He posited that while funds are ostensibly available to address the hurricane’s aftermath, challenges arise from potential budgetary mismanagement.
Hurricane Daniel, which reared its head in September, wrought havoc on Derna—a city housing between 50,000 to 90,000 residents.
In the storm’s wake, entire neighbourhoods vanished under its fury. Following this, the House of Representatives (HoR)-backed Libyan government took decisive action: the Derna Municipal Council was dissolved, and its members are currently under investigation. Additionally, a comprehensive inquiry into the hurricane’s impact, especially the flooding that inundated eastern Libya, has been pledged by the Libyan Attorney General.
Last week, the Libyan Parliament-designated Prime Minister, Osama Hammad, provided a comprehensive brief on the government’s preparedness and its strategy for reconstructing the city of Derna, and areas adversely affected by the deadly storm Daniel.
This came during a meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament, Ageela Saleh. The meeting was also attended by the Chairman of the Benghazi-based Reconstruction and Stabilisation Committee.
Hammad also provided the extensive endeavours his government took towards managing the catastrophe in Derna, and exhaustive details on the support extended by the executive branches to all impacted zones. He also introduced a comprehensive development plan for every municipality. He has pledged compensation for the affected residents and revealed that the government has earmarked emergency funds for all the storm-struck municipalities.