UNICEF Libya and the Embassy of Japan have announced their renewed commitment to supporting the flood-affected communities of eastern Libya during a courtesy call by UNICEF Libya Representative, Michele Servadei, to Japanese Ambassador to Libya, Shimmura Izuru, held Sunday in Tripoli, according to UNICEF.
The response, funded by a donation of US$ 1,601,642 from the Government of Japan, aims to reach 165,000 people, including 75,000 children, focusing on restoring access to emergency primary healthcare services, ensuring access to critical WASH services and supplies, and providing child protection services through the establishment of a community center and mobile teams. It will also prioritize capacity-building activities and the introduction of climate-resilient technologies to mitigate the impact of severe weather conditions linked to climate change.
This announcement came at a critical phase in addressing the urgent needs of the most vulnerable children and families in the flood-affected regions of eastern Libya, focusing on delivering essential services in health and nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and child protection, UNICEF said in a statement on Monday.
The announcement was also made at the occasion when the Embassy of Japan in Libya reopened its office on the soil of Libya after an absence of a decade, under the newly appointed Ambassador Shimmura.
Storm Daniel hit Libya on 10 September 2023, causing devastating flash floods in the northeast, including Derna, Al-Bayada, and several other towns. The storm led to a major loss of life and the destruction of critical infrastructure, severely impacting access to health, water and sanitation, and child protection services.