Libya’s Minister of Water Resources in the Parliament-designate government, Mohamed Douma, met with the Mayor of Ajdabiya, Nasr Ghraib, to discuss the city’s water challenges and potential solutions.
The meeting, held at the ministry’s headquarters in Benghazi, focused on the major issues affecting water supplies in Ajdabiya, including bottlenecks and deteriorating infrastructure.
Both parties explored possible solutions to improve water availability and enhance the infrastructure in the region. Douma affirmed the ministry’s commitment to working closely with Ajdabiya’s municipality to address these challenges and ensure a sufficient and reliable water supply for residents.
He emphasised the importance of exploring all available options for investing in water infrastructure and improving operational efficiency.
Mayor Ghraib praised the government’s efforts to tackle water issues, highlighting the municipality’s dedication to collaborating closely with the ministry to find practical and swift solutions.
He stressed that providing clean and reliable water is crucial for the well-being of Ajdabiya’s citizens and expressed confidence that this meeting would lead to tangible improvements.
A report by “Al-Nahar Al-Arabi” highlights the growing threat of desertification to Libya’s food and water security, noting that half of the Green Mountain region has turned yellow.
The report indicates that Libya is experiencing unprecedented temperature rises amidst discussions of climate change and its impacts on a country already struggling in numerous areas.
Over the past two years, international and local environmental organisations have raised alarms about the expanding desertification in Libya, which now poses a significant threat to food security.
The report points out one of the first signs of this crisis is the unprecedented increase in meat prices, primarily due to the decline in local livestock herds caused by water scarcity and the encroachment of desertification into grazing areas.
Furthermore, the report recalls that last September, the Green Mountain region suffered the most severe climatic disaster in Libya’s history when devastating floods struck its cities following Storm Daniel.
In the absence of effective official institutional response, activists have launched grassroots initiatives to plant trees in neighborhoods and streets under the banner “Plant a Tree.”
Libya has been in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The county has for years been split between rival administrations.
