Belgassem Haftar, Director General of the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund, has reaffirmed that reviving southern Libya is a national priority and a cornerstone of achieving long-overdue development justice.
He said the fund’s projects in the south reflect a deliberate shift toward correcting historical imbalances that left entire cities marginalized for decades, despite their strategic importance and untapped potential.
Haftar noted that southern Libya has long suffered from weak infrastructure, limited public services, and the absence of sustained development policies as successive governments focused elsewhere.
He stressed that no national recovery or state-building effort can succeed while large parts of the country remain excluded from development.
According to him, restoring balance between regions is essential to strengthening national unity and long-term stability.
Over the past period, the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund has launched and inaugurated multiple projects across southern cities, targeting essential sectors such as infrastructure, public services, and urban rehabilitation.
Haftar said these initiatives were designed based on direct assessments of local needs, aiming to improve daily living conditions while creating the foundations for economic activity and social cohesion. He described the changes already underway as the beginning of a new phase for cities that were once established but later left without adequate support.
Haftar emphasized that the fund’s development strategy is built on inclusivity, ensuring that every region benefits from national resources without discrimination. He pointed out that the south possesses significant human capital and natural resources that have remained underutilized due to neglect and poor planning. Integrating the region into national development frameworks, he said, is not only a matter of fairness but also a strategic necessity for Libya’s future.
