It has been announced that Libya will host an international conference for the reconstruction of Derna in mid-October.
The country is calling for involvement in the conference from the World Health Organization and the International Monetary Fund, among others. The flooding in Derna utterly destroyed a large section of the city, and has significantly damaged other parts, including critical infrastructure, health and educational facilities.
Officials in Libya have expressed concerns that the country lacks the experience to deal with the scale of devastation and efforts required to rebuild the city and other affected areas in the region. As such, the involvement of the international community will be essential – particularly from participants with previous experience of reconstruction after natural disasters.
Indeed, generally speaking Libya has the required financial resources for reconstruction, but it is the exchange of knowledge and experience from international partners that will be most crucial to its efforts to rebuild.
Effective reconstruction will touch all corners. Urban replanning, repairing and rebuilding of critical infrastructures (including water and sanitation) and development of new residential, medical and educational buildings will all be required.
Certainly, the road to reconstruction in Derna and eastern Libya will be a long one, but with adequate support from the international community, it could be accomplished in a manner that is both efficient and effective.
More broadly still, Libya as a whole requires the development expertise and capital investment of international partners to advance its national infrastructure and invigorate the economy. The country is still recovering from a turbulent decade following the 2011 revolution, and while the wheels are starting to turn on relevant projects, deeper engagement from the international community would be highly constructive for the country.
Our team at Eltumi & Co specialise in energy and infrastructure projects. We track developments in these sectors in order to provide commercial legal support to businesses operating in the sector. Follow our LinkedIn page for ongoing updates and insight.