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August 2023
It’s Nothing but Net in Zwara
 Children in Zwara enjoy a game of hoops on the refurbished court.
It might come as a surprise, but basketball is a popular pastime in Zwara. In a country obsessed with soccer, the residents of Zwara have been devoted fans of basketball since a court was built in the community in 1976. Zwara, which is located on the coast 63 miles west of Tripoli, is a majority Amazigh community that, like many communities in Libya, faced years of conflict. USAID’s Taqarib activity partnered with the municipality to renovate and re-open the Al-Jazira Sports club basketball court which was in severe disrepair, leaving all three of Zwara’s basketball leagues and residents to play on one court in another part of town.
In communities like Zwara that have a history of insecurity, having places for young people to play is even more important to teach teamwork, increase self-confidence, and improve social cohesion. USAID is working with more than 30 municipalities throughout Libya to improve stability by addressing the priorities of their citizens, including renovating public parks and facilities, increasing confidence in local government, while providing places for the community to come together.
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Electoral Management Training for Libyan Political Parties
 The National Front is one of many political parties receiving support and training from USAID.
During the 42- year Ghaddafi era, elections were banned, resulting in a lack of appreciation among the public and decision makers for the role of political parties in a healthy political environment. Post-revolution, numerous political parties sprang up representing a wide variety of interests and geographic areas. They have an eagerness to be a driving force in the country’s political transition but haven’t had the support or training to run credible and impactful campaigns.
As part of Libya Elections and Legislative Strengthening Activity, USAID provides training to political parties to strengthen their capacity to adequately represent Libyans. USAID recently conducted training on electoral campaign management for members of the National Front Party. The training focused on running an electoral campaign, including identification of voters; creating impactful campaign messages; and managing a campaign team and volunteers. Participants created campaign plans and presented them to a group role-playing as the “public,” who then voted on their favorite plan.
The U.S. government supports the aspirations of the Libyan people to vote for representatives that govern in a transparent and accountable manner and are inclusive of all of Libya’s diversity. USAID is increasing the capacity of political parties, civil society, and citizens to take an active role in advocacy and political engagements.
Modernization at GECOL Improves Financial Sustainability
Libyans have long enjoyed free or low-cost power, driving up consumption compared to neighboring countries and leaving the General Electric Company of Libya (GECOL) dependent on government subsidies to break even. With the support of USAID, GECOL is distributing 55,000 prepaid smart electricity meters to customers. A smart meter is an advanced type of digital electricity meter that records when, and how much, electricity is consumed and deducts the amount from a prepaid balance loaded by the customer.
Prepaid smart meters not only comply with international best practices but they help electric companies reduce electricity theft, improve customer service, facilitate renewable energy integration, and provide data for grid planning. They also help consumers understand their electricity usage and make more informed choices. USAID provided GECOL with research and guidance to launch the program, as well as help to develop a communication campaign to inform customers about the benefits of the new prepaid meters.
Hamza, one of the beneficiaries of the new smart meters, shared his experience. “Upon installation, there was a courtesy balance of 10 LYD (USD 2) on the card to ensure uninterrupted service,” he said. “I visited the customer service center on a weekend, and the process was quick and easy.” He further expressed his satisfaction that the new smart meter allows him to monitor his electrical usage and be more mindful of his consumption.
GECOL plans to distribute 1.4 million additional meters in the next two years. With the addition of smart meters, USAID is supporting GECOL to improve revenue collection and make significant strides in ending its dependency on government subsidies. In addition, the meters will help Libya achieve its goal of reducing energy usage by 20 percent by 2028 encouraging consumers to be better stewards of their electricity usage.
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