Libya: UN Launches $75 million Funding Appeal
The United Nations has launched an international fundraising campaign to aid the increasing humanitarian crisis in Libya.
According to the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the appeal for US$75 million is in partnership with the UN’s International Organization for Migration.
Libya has been embroiled in violent fighting since 2011, when former dictator Muammar Gaddafi was toppled as leader of the African country. Rival administrations and militant groups have wrecked havoc on the oil-rich country and have caused thousands of people to be displaced.
Libya is a hub for the migrant crisis in Africa, with thousands of migrants from various distressed African countries making the journey to the country in an effort to reach Europe and start a new life.
UNHCR head, Filippo Grandi, said in a statement that the appeal for funding is intended to aid the thousands of migrants in the country.
“We have urgent work to do in Libya and can only do it together…We are going the extra mile in trying to make a difference for hundreds of thousands of people,” he said.
Migrants in Libya are subjected to harsh living conditions and exploitation by the militants in the country. The UN has said that most migrant deaths in the country can be attributed to the violence caused by the rival militia groups in the country.
In addition to the US$75 million appeal from the UNHCR, the UN’s International Organization for Migration has launched a separate appeal for US$180 million in aid for Libya over the course of the next three years.
