The European Union has provided €6.6 million under the European Neighborhood Instrument in the framework of the European Neighborhood Policy in support of the Libyan population. The amount has been pledged under the new assistance package for the North African country, which the Union finalized before Christmas. Through this support, Brussels confirmed its continuous support for Libya with a special focus on the provision of health services and youth programs.
The amount of financial aid will be distributed in two programs – support to the health sector (€3.6 million) and support to Libyan youth (€3 million). The health part of the project intends to improve the health care provision efficiency in Libya by focusing on improving the supply chain through increased quality of planning, management and monitoring of the medicines and on targeting the improvement of the management and quality of the health information system. As to the support of the country’s youth, the project will contribute to the resilience and social inclusion of adolescents and young people while strengthening their role in the society. This goal should be achieved by providing a greater access to non-formal education, livelihoods programs and recreational and cultural services as well as a peacebuilding dialogue in selected areas across the country.
The EU’s continuous financial support for Libya is crucial for the improvement of the country’s political polarization and the security situation, as a result of which the Libyan health sector is rapidly deteriorating. Libyans have less and less access to medicine and medical supplies and they face an increasing danger of complications due to irrational drugs use. Moreover, the country lacks a reliable health information system, which in turn increases the hazard of spreading communicable diseases. At the same time, EU28 wants to focus its attention on the youth, which it sees as a priority for a peaceful and prosperous future of Libya.
