On Tuesday, the European Union (EU) has allocated €20 million (LYD 33 million) to assist Libya in tackling the coronavirus (COVID-19) ongoing crisis.
In a statement, the EU announced that it will support the prevention of the virus’ spread, in particular among Libya’s most vulnerable communities affected by conflict, forced displacement and migration.
The EU added that the funding comes in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
The EU assistance aims at establishing better national coordination mechanisms for the detection and surveillance of infection clusters and improving public awareness of the virus and effective preventive measures, in addition to supporting the country’s public health system and allow for urgent investments in medical equipment and personal protective equipment for health workers who are at the frontlines in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
On his part, EU Ambassador to Libya Alan Bugeja, said: “Libya has seen an alarming spike in infections over the past two weeks. The authorities have taken a series of measures to inform people about protective measures and contain a further spread of the coronavirus. However Libya’s health system was already under strain due to the years-long conflict.”
The €20 million EU assistance will be released immediately and is expected to directly benefit almost 1,000,000 people in Libya. These new funds come in addition to the EU’s ongoing support to Libyan authorities and health institutions in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.