Humanitarian response plan launched in Geneva to assist 2.4 million Libyan people

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Sunday 22 Nov 2015 - 17:52 Makkah mean time-10-2-1437 Geneva (IINA) – The Humanitarian Response Plan for Libya for 2015-16 to address the needs of 2.4 million people who require some form of humanitarian assistance was launched in Geneva on Friday, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) reported. Opening the meeting, Rashid M. Khalikov, director of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva, described the situation in Libya characterized by violence, conflict and instability across the country. He said a significant number of Libyans have “been displaced multiple times”, increasing their vulnerability. Ali Al-Za’tari, the deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya, emphasized the need for an immediate cessation of conflict and for a political agreement to facilitate the humanitarian response. Al-Za’tari and members of the Humanitarian Country Team outlined details of the Humanitarian Response Plan: 2.44 million people in need of protection and some form of humanitarian assistance including 435,000 internally displaced persons, 60 percent of hospitals in conflict areas are inaccessible, access to food for 1.2 million people is affected and public schools are closed. The plan requires $165.6 million in funding. Speaking via video-link from Tunis, Al-Za’tari appealed for financial support for the plan. He stressed that the urgency of the humanitarian situation required a strong response, highlighting the challenges faced in the health response, food security, and education, and in particular the hardships endured by women and girls. Salwa Eldaghili, Chargé d’Affaires of the Libya Permanent Mission in Geneva, expressed Libya’s support for the plan and appealed to the international community to provide support in some of the areas of greatest need. In other interventions, members of the international community called for a pledging conference for the plan, an idea supported by all members of the panel. AB/IINA