EU supports Libyan and European universities to train municipalities’ staffers

This week’s ‘Crisis Management’ module was delivered by staff from the Centre International d’Etudes pour le Développement Local (CIEDEL), based in Lyon, France. This is one of six workshops held in Tunisia bringing together representatives from municipalities and universities of Tobruk, Benghazi, Sirte, Tripoli, Gharyan, Zintan, Sabah, Bani Walid and Zawiya.

The Head of the EU Delegation to Libya, Ambassador Bettina Muscheidt, stressed: “The EU strongly supports a nationwide political solution in Libya which becomes so urgent as citizens across Libya are suffering from the difficult conditions and municipalities are finding it hard to deliver services. But we also must look beyond the current crisis and strengthen the capacity of these municipalities for the future through an exchange of knowledge on best practices worldwide.

This week’s training on “Crisis Management” precisely does this in an innovative approach bringing together European expertise and talents within local communities in support of municipalities from across Libya. This gives a vital role to Libyan Universities to become agents of professional and social development.

Dr Mayouf Ali, Director of International Cooperation Office at the University of Sabha, and a participant of this week’s workshop, said: “This is a very valuable and fruitful project where Libyan universities and municipalities work together, many for the first time. Public administrators at municipalities are receiving up to date training to address critical issues (…) and participants have successfully reflected on their local experiences. The universities representatives and administrators from municipalities will take the data from this project, customise it to their city’s case and provide similar courses to more public administration employees taught by university staff.”