Addressing Sebha’s Water and Sanitation Crisis

Introduction

The conflict that Libya endured between 2014 and 2018 weakened both the administrative and security authorities’ control over utilities and infrastructure. The resulting insecurity greatly affected many sectors and has had repercussions in Sebha, the most populous city in southwestern Libya. Among the sectors affected is the water and sanitation sector. In addition to the conflict, there are various factors that have contributed to the crisis in the sector in Sebha. These include a lack of investment in the sector in the last decades; the deterioration of pipelines in the water distribution system; general mismanagement; and an absence of financial support.

Since its formation, the Government of National Unity (GNU) has addressed this crisis through the “Reviving Life” initiative: announced by the prime minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, 27 August 2021. However, the question remains whether the government will be able to find long-term solutions to the crisis and ensure provision of services. In this blogpost, we show how different factors have affected the water and sanitation management sector in Sebha.

[…]