MedCities, in collaboration with GiZ Libya, hold the first online meeting on May 2023 with representatives of Libyan municipalities that are part of the GiZ Support to Municipalities in Libya (SML) Programme.

This meeting aimed at presenting MedCities network and exploring potential opportunities for Libyan municipalities. On that occasion, Mr. Oriol Barba and Ms. Konstantia Nikopoulou from MedCities introduced the association, emphasizing on the projects it was currently carrying out. They also presented the welcome pack that the association offers to Libyan Municipalities which includes capacity building, training activities, technical exchanges, and participation in regional fora and policy debates as well as participation in physical events.

In the following discussion, the Libyan municipalities informed the meeting about their respective concerns and priorities. They identified sustainable waste and wastewater management as critical issues. Furthermore, they advocated for infrastructure projects, especially related to sewage, rainwater management, and coastal management, including flood prevention. Others advocated for social inclusion of young people and women and refugees’ management as well for territorial economic development and employment policies, including the potentiality of a blue economy and fisheries.

As the next steps of this concertation, GiZ Libya will start the selection process of the municipalities that could benefit from the welcome pack activities. The activities proposed are in line with the priorities mentioned by Libyan municipalities and target mainly the issues of waste management, urban water management, coastal protection, and port-city relations.