 July 2024
USAID Focuses on Increasing Engagement in Libya
 July 4 celebration in Tripoli.
 SDAA Andrew Plitt and Country Representative Christopher La Fargue meet with Minister of Local Governance Al-Toumi and Murzuq Steering Committee Chairman Ashraf Adam
Since his arrival at the Libya External Office in mid-May, Country Representative Christopher La Fargue has made an unprecedented four trips into Libya, including a recent visit to Benghazi. In June, La Fargue accompanied USAID Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator (SDAA) Andrew Plitt to Tripoli for meetings with Libyan stakeholders and key partners to discuss opportunities and challenges, while signaling USAID’s long-term commitment to Libya’s stability. The trip was the first for La Fargue, as well as the first trip by senior bureau leadership to Libya in more than a decade.
This was followed by day trips into Tripoli and Benghazi where La Fargue accompanied Ambassador Richard Norland and Chargé d’Affaires Berndt for meetings with Prime Minister Daibiba and LNA Commander Haftar highlighting USAID’s key position in supporting the diplomacy, development, and defense focus in Libya, a key Global Fragility Act country.
The recent trips culminated in a July 4 trip to Tripoli to celebrate the U.S. Independence Day, the first July 4th celebration in Libya in a decade. Chargé d’Affaires Berndt, welcomed Libyan officials and representatives of foreign missions and spoke about opportunities to expand relationships between Libya and the U.S.
Reflecting on these recent trips, La Fargue said, “USAID’s increased travel to Libya, coupled with senior bureau leadership engagement, is creating enduring relationships with key counterparts that will only be enhanced by a more sustained presence in the country, allowing the U.S. government to achieve its goals of a more stable and prosperous Libya.”
Empowering Entrepreneurs for Economic Recovery
 Entrepreneurs learned critical skills during the training to develop their ideas into thriving small businesses.
Earlier this month, USAID’s Libya Economic Acceleration Project (LEAP) conducted two workshops implemented by local partner Supernovae as part of its acceleration initiative. This initiative is initially supporting fourteen talented entrepreneurs selected from a previous USAID incubation program. These entrepreneurs; hailing from Sebha, Murzuq, Taraghin, Ubari, and Bint Bayya; have received seed capital from USAID to launch their startups.
The first workshop focused on financial education for startups, covering essential topics such as due diligence, budget optimization, cash flow management, and financial reporting. The second workshop adopted a participatory approach to help entrepreneurs develop effective marketing strategies to grow their customer base and build scalable sales processes.
The acceleration program will culminate in a pitch event where these entrepreneurs will present their projects to domestic investors in Libya. LEAP is part of the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability and the first U.S. activity solely based in Libya’s South. By connecting aspiring entrepreneurs with investors, USAID is fostering an entrepreneurship ecosystem that will contribute to the economic expansion and stability in southern Libya.
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Tawka’s Journey to Youth Leader
Takwa Sultan during a National Youth Academy activity.
Takwa Sultan, from the Ajabal Alakder region of eastern Libya, always aspired to make a significant impact in her home country. Driven by a passion for learning and political activism, she joined the National Front Party. Recognizing her potential, the party nominated Takwa to participate in the 2023 Youth Leadership Academy organized by USAID partner National Democratic Institute.
The academy builds the capacity of youth within political parties and prepares young people for leadership roles. It offers comprehensive training in campaign management, political communications, and policy development, with leadership development integrated throughout. A crucial component that develops participants' skills in public speaking, negotiation and team building prepares participants to return to their parties and share the information learned. Takwa learned to build a vision, set goals, analyze political situations, and make informed decisions, strengthening her ability to communicate effectively and influence the public.
After graduating, Takwa returned to her party with renewed energy, facilitating dialogues on future elections and various political, legal, and national issues. She also represented her party at a municipal women’s council event and organized internal training sessions.
Inspired by her new skills, Takwa was elected to a seat in the Ministry of Youth’s Youth Parliament which fosters political engagement among Libyan youth. She also secured the presidency of the Social Affairs Committee where she advocates for youth rights, democracy, and party inclusion.
Reflecting on her achievements she said, “I am proud of what I have achieved and know that the Youth Leadership Academy was a major factor behind my success. My advice to all, no matter what your ambitions are - strive, learn, and challenge yourselves, and you will achieve more than you ever imagined.”
Strengthening Electoral Justice in Libya
 Workshop participants discuss dispute resolution best practices.
The credibility of elections, acceptance of their results, and the stability of the electoral environment increasingly depends on effectively resolving disputes and violations throughout the electoral cycle. An efficient electoral dispute resolution (EDR) system offers a means to address violations of electoral rights and correct flaws in electoral processes. Effective EDR strategies also reduce political instability and election-related violence.
In partnership with the High National Election Commission (HNEC) and the Supreme Judicial Council, USAID, through the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, hosted a workshop for 29 participants including nine women. The workshop covered the legal framework for the municipal elections, the voter registration process, electoral disputes and challenges, and the role of the State Case Administrator (SCA) lawyers in the process.
This workshop built upon previous training to strengthen the EDR process ahead of the 2024 municipal elections in Libya. Participants discussed all aspects of the legal framework and offered key recommendations to improve procedures and enhance coordination and communication between the SCA, HNEC, and the courts, who are the main stakeholders in the process.
Lessons learned from past electoral experiences in Libya highlight the critical need for inter-institutional cooperation to ensure timely and efficient proceedings for candidacy nomination and results-related litigation. To address this, USAID is organizing additional workshops for summary judges, court clerks, and general prosecutors. USAID is collaborating closely with all parties to establish a robust and efficient dispute resolution system in preparation for the upcoming elections, supporting peaceful democratic transitions in Libya.
Addressing Skills Shortages in Libyan Municipalities
 USAID trainings help municipalities provide a range of improved citizen services.
Libyan municipal staff face persistent skill shortages in areas like administration and information technology, impacting employee efficiency and municipal service quality. This issue has been exacerbated by new government regulations that expanded municipal responsibilities under Law 59, necessitating employees to acquire new skills and knowledge to fulfill their roles effectively.
In response, USAID’s Taqarib activity has dedicated the past five years to providing technical assistance to its partner municipalities through a comprehensive training program. This initiative covers topics such as emergency response, communications and outreach, information technology, road repair, and climate change adaptation. The program includes in-person training sessions and workshops and an extensive e-learning platform offering courses on subjects relevant to municipal work such as accounting, budgeting, asset management, and urban planning.
In June, USAID held a training for 39 municipal staff from southern municipalities; including Brak, Albawanees, Murzuq, and Wadi Etba; focused on scope of work development and cybersecurity. These topics were selected by the municipalities to enhance staff performance and data security.
"Cybersecurity training was quite valuable! It will help me secure my data and maintain the confidentiality of critical information," said Amal Abudhema, Community Development Office Director at Albawanees municipality
By providing ongoing training opportunities through its e-learning platform, USAID ensures that municipal staff throughout Libya have equal access to sustainable learning resources. This enables them to continuously build their capacity, expand their knowledge, and learn new tools essential for their daily work, thereby enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of municipal services across Libya.
Libyan Audit Bureau Expands with USAID Support
 The Libyan Audit Bureau (LAB) is set to audit twice as many major entities this year compared to last year including ministries and state-owned enterprises. This increase is made possible by the growing auditing capacities of the LAB thanks to technical assistance and training support from the USAID Libya Public Financial Management program. The expanded audits are part of LAB's recently approved annual plan, crucial for ensuring the transparent and efficient use of public resources.
“The increase in audits represents a massive step forward for the LAB and for public sector accountability and efficiency in Libya. It ensures that the LAB can better protect valuable public resources from waste and fraud,” said Mr. Adel Qassar, Head of Human Resource Management.
According to the audit plan, the LAB will complete audits of 314 major entities in 2024, compared to 146 in 2023. Additionally, they plan to audit 577 branches and municipalities in 2024. This increase in audits is facilitated by the professional certification of 57 LAB auditors under an intensive training program implemented by the International Arab Society of Certified Accountants with USAID support. Twenty more LAB auditors are expected to obtain professional certificates in July.
With USAID's support, the LAB is working to reduce corruption in Libya and ensure public funds are used more efficiently. The LAB’s annual report, which shares the results of each audit, is eagerly anticipated by the Libyan public, garners extensive media attention, and significantly improves the transparency of government entities and public resources.
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