Germany offers 9.8-mln-euro funding to support UNICEF programs in Libya

TRIPOLI, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Germany has allocated 9.8 million euros (12.1 million U.S. dollars) to UNICEF's programs to help 30,000 vulnerable children over the next four years, said UNICEF in Libya in a statement Sunday.

"The German government commits 9.8 million euros to UNICEF to support at least 30,000 vulnerable children and their families in Libya with child protection, education, water and sanitation services over the next four years," the statement said.

"With a total donation of over 20 million euros, Germany is the largest donor to UNICEF Libya's programs providing much needed services to vulnerable children and families and contributing to biding the resilience of the communities and strengthening the systems," the statement added.

Abdel-Rahman Ghandour, UNICEF Libya's special representative, hailed Germany's "generous contribution which will enable us to reach children in Libya who are in urgent need of support."

"Through our cooperation with UNICEF, Germany contributes to strengthen child protection services and systems, provide access to quality education for conflict-affected children in Libya and ensure access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene facilities for children in Libya and their families including, internally displaced people, returnees, host communities and children on the move," said German Ambassador to Libya Christian Buck.

A UNICEF report earlier this year said that more than 370,000 children would be in need of urgent assistance in 2018, due to the continuing deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Libya.

Libya has been plagued by insecurity and political crisis since the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Gaddafi's regime. Enditem