The Issue
The city of Benghazi has been left heavily contaminated with UXO after periods of armed violence. Parts of the city as well as key infrastructure was scattered with explosive items and could therefore not be made safely accessible for reconstruction.
DCA arrived in Libya in 2011 as part of the humanitarian assistance in the wake of the revolution and focused on the education of men, women, and children as to the dangers of Explosive Remnants of War (ERW), as well as the clearance of any Unexploded Ordnance (UXO).
The Project
The focus of the project is to support reconstruction and stabilization in Benghazi through Humanitarian Mine Action. Aside from the general education of children and adults as to the dangers of ERW (Risk Education) so that they could return to their homes in safety, DCA conducted Risk Education with municipal council workers, doctors and nurses, teachers, energy supply workers, and construction workers. DCA Libya continues to contribute to the return of land and infrastructure to socio-economic productive use by clearing targeted areas from mines and other ERW.
The Change
To contribute to enhancing the safety of internally displaced persons (IDPs) returning to Benghazi and to facilitate the repair of critical infrastructure, the project has the following specific objectives:
- Clear mines and ERW and return land and infrastructure to socio-economic use.
- Remove and dispose of any abandoned ammunition caches.
- Educate the public about the risk of mines and ERW.
The Results
Since the beginning until May 2024 the project has achieved great milestones, which include:
- 3,833 items of unexploded ordnance have been removed or destroyed and no longer poses a threat to the inhabitants of Benghazi.
- 3,786,552 square meters have been surveyed, declared safe and returned to the communities benefitting 145,616 individuals.
- 8,982 individuals have received messages of safety and learned how to stay safe in areas contaminated with ERW.
About this project:
- Project Title: Fostering Stabilization in Benghazi through Integrated Mine Action
- Period: 1. November 2019 to 31. October 2023
- Number of people reached: 55,000
- Donor(s): U.S. Department of State
