On Monday, 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 Stabilization 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. As well as introducing 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.
Last week, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reported a dire situation in eastern Libya: 1,038 buildings were fully demolished, and an urgent need to clear 8.7 million tons of debris, while underlining the displacement of 42,045 people from areas that bore the brunt of the floods.
Hammad’s strategic and multi-pronged reconstruction blueprint serves as a crucial step towards delivering palpable solutions, and relief to the afflicted areas and their residents. His engaging discussions with stakeholders and commitment to developing a viable, effective plan of action signals a pivot towards a structured path of not only physical rebuilding, but also revitalizing communities and ensuring sustained development.
On 10 September, a devastating storm swept through several eastern regions of Libya, notably the cities of Derna, Benghazi, Al-Bayda, Al-Marj, and Sousse, last month. This resulted in significant destruction and led to the loss of thousands of lives, injuries, and missing individuals.
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, each backed by rogue militias and foreign governments.
The current stalemate grew out of the failure to hold elections in December 2021, and the refusal of Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba, who is leading the transitional government, to step down.