The Government of Japan has announced a new contribution of USD 750,000 to UNICEF Libya toward improving access to and use of equitable and climate-resilient Emergency Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services. This will allow UNICEF to reach 125,000 people across the country, including 50,000 children. 

The programme, which is intended to run for 12 months, will strengthen the capacity of WASH systems to legislate, finance, plan, and coordinate climate-resilient critical initiatives for equitable, safe, and sustainable WASH services. UNICEF will implement the program in collaboration with the Government of Libya, specifically the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Local Governance.

The Government of Japan is a long and valued partner of UNICEF in Libya, and UNICEF programmes have received over US$ five million since 2020, benefiting to multi-sectoral emergency response to conflict and to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In expressing UNICEF’s appreciation for the contribution, the UNICEF Representative for Libya, Michele Servadei, stated “UNICEF thanks the people and Government of Japan for the continuous support. Addressing water scarcity and improving water provision services remain top priority for UNICEF in Libya. It is essential to repair non-functional systems in the most vulnerable areas, as well as build capacity for a climate-resilient water supply, which means attention to renewable energy and locally managed solutions”.