Waste management in Tripoli: a temporary crisis or a long-lasting imbroglio?

Abstract

The armed conflict between the Libyan Arab Armed Forces and forces loyal to the Government of National Accord (GNA) from April 2019 led rapidly to a major waste management crisis in Tripoli. While the crisis ended in June 2020, with the military operations, it flagged up some of the key service provision challenges for the Libyan authorities. This policy brief analyses the role of state authorities and municipalities in service provision in Libya; asks how it has developed since 2011; and how it changed during the 2019-2020 waste management crisis. It also sheds light on structural issues, such as: the absence of policy planning; the gaps in the state administrative structure; the overlapping prerogatives of specialised bodies; as well as obstacles to decentralisation.