 Date
USAID Enhances Third-Party Monitoring in Challenging Environments
 LMELA’s monitoring and evaluation staff at the May training in Tripoli.
In Libya, where instability and insecurity hinder regular oversight of USAID activities, the role of independent organizations in conducting third-party monitoring becomes indispensable. The Libya Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Activity (LMELA) plays a crucial role by deploying monitors to observe and evaluate USAID activities across the country.
Recently, USAID hosted a three-day training in Tripoli for 35 monitors from various regions of Libya to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively monitor USAID's diverse portfolio of activities. Covering theory-driven data collection and interviewing techniques, the training provided practical insights through mock interviews and observations.
Guided by USAID's collaborating, learning, and adapting framework, this training marked the culmination of a six-month process undertaken by LMELA to refine its data collection instruments and training methods to align with these needs, ensuring that its third-party monitoring supports USAID's oversight and performance management objectives effectively.
LMELA Chief of Party, Meredith Feenstra, shared: “Third-party monitoring is an important tool in non-permissive countries like Libya, and this training was a critical opportunity for us to build the skills of our team across the country to collect outcome-driven, utilization-focused data. With this training and the deployment of our new data collection instruments, we’ll be able to promote learning and adaptation through complexity-aware methods.”
|
USAID and UNDP Partnership for Economic Recovery and Reconciliation
 Members of the Murzuq Steering Committee review maps of damaged neighborhoods.
In 2019, the southern Libyan city of Murzuq faced widespread ethnic violence, resulting in extensive damage to infrastructure and profound disruptions to community bonds. Thousands were displaced, exacerbating challenges already faced in the region. Despite a decline in violent conflict by late 2020, the path to recovery remains daunting.
According to the UNDP Human Development Report (2022), Libya has regressed more than two decades in human development progress due to a decade of violence and conflict. This setback is particularly acute in southern communities like Murzuq, where basic services and economic opportunities are lacking, fueling grievances and complicating reconciliation efforts. For reasons such as these, Murzuq and the broader southern region of Libya has become a zone of interest for USAID under the Global Fragility Act, whose programs address the root causes of instability in the country.
USAID is partnering with UNDP to support economic recovery and facilitate the safe return of internally displaced persons in Murzuq. Through this collaboration, USAID is assisting the Libyan government's Construction Fund for Murzuq in organizing investments to rebuild infrastructure, enhance service delivery, rehabilitate war-damaged buildings, and promote livelihoods.
To ensure the sustainability of solutions, knowledge transfer, and capacity building, UNDP is working closely with the Construction Fund for Murzuq and local authorities to support planning, monitoring, public relations, technical cooperation, finance, and administration of the fund. Additionally, efforts are underway to rehabilitate facilities at Fezzan University, facilitating peaceful interactions among students from diverse communities and enabling the resumption of classes after years of conflict-induced suspension.
Murzuq has become a focal point for cooperation among international diplomatic, development, and humanitarian actors, Libya's rival administrations, and the local community, addressing security, governance, reconstruction, and accountability. Through collaborative efforts, USAID and UNDP are striving to build a brighter future for Murzuq and its residents.
USAID Partners with Al Khabir Company for Construction to Boost Operations
 Trucks from Al-Khabir are ready to tackle reconstruction projects in southern Libya.
USAID’s Libya Economic Acceleration Project signed a partnership agreement with Al Khabir Construction Company in Sebha. This collaboration will expand Al Khabir's operations beyond Sebha into southern Libya through technical assistance in lean manufacturing practices.
Lean manufacturing is a production method to reduce waste and improve efficiency within the manufacturing process. Lean manufacturing streamlines operations, reduces costs, improves quality, and delivers products more quickly to meet customer needs.
USAID’s support comes at a critical time, positioning Al Khabir to potentially participate in opportunities to rebuild Murzuq, which is recovering from the 2019 conflict. The company is also set to lead more projects in Urabi, leveraging its main warehouse on the Ubari-Murzuq road.
USAID continues to enhance the capacity of businesses to meet increasingly complex logistical needs, not only strengthening economic resilience in southern Libya, but also ensuring that the region has enterprises with the necessary skills and capabilities to help facilitate its reconstruction and recovery after years of conflict.
|
USAID Advances Inclusivity for Persons with Disabilities in Libya
 Ms. Majda ELKateb, the Head of the HNEC Unit for Supporting People with Disabilities, delivered a speech stating the significance of the PWD Unit in Municipal elections
In the past decade, Libyan activists have tirelessly championed the rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWD), yet concrete progress has been hampered by a lack of cohesive government vision and support.
In response, USAID, through the Taqarib project, is supporting three newly established municipal Persons with Disabilities Offices in southern Libya by providing equipment, assisting with accessibility enhancements, and bolstering the advocacy capabilities of PWDs through comprehensive training, grants, and peer-to-peer programs.
Recognizing that support for these three communities represents just the first stride in enhancing the lives of PWDs in Libya, USAID supported the Ministry of Local Governance to launch the National Program for Community Participation and Social Communication.
At a forum attended by 200 individuals in May, Minister of Local Governance, Badr Al-Toumi, marked the inaugural nationwide gathering for the Persons with Disabilities Offices. The forum was a platform for knowledge exchange, fostering a deeper understanding of the daily challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in both personal and professional spheres.
The forum covered a range of topics, including the High National Election Commission efforts to ensure accessibility in municipal elections for both candidates and voters. Additionally, the Ministry of Local Governance presented findings from a survey about community needs and the operations of the new PWD offices conducted in collaboration with USAID.
This groundbreaking initiative brought together representatives from all 144 Libyan municipalities, alongside ministry officials. Through collaborative endeavors such as this forum, USAID takes a crucial step towards nurturing inclusivity and empowerment for this vulnerable community across Libya.
Libya Fights Financial Crime with USAID Support
 In May, Libya’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) achieved a significant milestone by signing Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with Algeria, Lebanon, and Oman, establishing collaborative relationships to combat financial crime. These are in addition to seven MOUs signed previously with other countries.
FIUs play an important role in combating financial crime by gathering and analyzing financial information that can point to money laundering and criminal financial activities. Effective collaboration among FIUs in different countries is essential due to the fluidity of international financial flows and the varying legal and regulatory frameworks across nations.
"These partnerships, which show Libya’s commitment to enhancing international cooperation, will strengthen the analytical capabilities of the FIU, improve regulatory effectiveness, and ensure compliance with international standards,” said Samira Sahili, a USAID specialist at the 38th Plenary Meeting of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force.
The MOUs are a crucial component of the FIU’s strategic plan which was developed with support from USAID. The plan emphasizes facilitating efficient and secure information exchanges, enhancing international cooperation, and standardizing investigatory and information-sharing procedures. Additionally, the MOUs provide legal and confidentiality safeguards, build trust, and support compliance with international standards, ultimately strengthening the global anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism framework and improving the effectiveness of joint investigations and operations.
The FIU plans to expand its network and expects to sign four more MOUs in the coming months with Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and Iraq. By increasing the government’s ability to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, USAID is increasing trust in government by stopping criminal activity and addressing the flagrant corruption that plagues Libya.
|
