Libya

Why we are there

Since the outbreak of the conflict in 2011, Libya has endured over a decade of political instability and insecurity, characterized by split political constituencies, proliferation of non-state armed groups, breakdown of rule of law and disruptions to public service provision.

According to the latest UN OCHA Humanitarian Profile (2025), over 785,000 people remain in need, including over 330,000 refugees and asylum seekers and 420,000 migrants. Libya's current security situation remains precarious, with ongoing reports of human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian law. While there hasn't been a return to large-scale armed conflict, institutions and armed groups in both eastern and western regions remain in a political deadlock. This political instability and insecurity have been exacerbated by a national economic and liquidity crisis, structural social inequalities, weak governance structures, limited access to public services, widespread proliferation of small arms and light weapons, and critical protection risks for the most vulnerable populations.

Libya also remains prone to humanitarian crises, as happened following the September 2023 floods in Derna and East Libya and, more recently, the large influx of Sudanese refugees fleeing the conflict. As of January 2026, UNHCR estimates that over 514,000 Sudanese refugees have arrived in Libya since the onset of the conflict, while estimates from international and national NGOs project it could reach close to 1 million individuals by the end of 2026. These events put additional strain on an already fragile context, where public services are not equipped to respond to the needs of Libyan and non-Libyan populations.

What we do

Since 2011, DRC Libya is dedicated to delivering vital aid to those in dire need, assisting in-need host communities and people on the move with sustainable solutions, and tackling the underlying causes of displacement and conflict, aligning with the Humanitarian, Development and Peace Nexus approach and social protection.

In 2026, DRC will continue to work across its core sectors of Protection, Economic Recovery, Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (HDP), advancing DRC’s localization approach through strategic partnerships with local actors including local authorities, focusing on disaster preparedness and anticipatory action, regional, route-based migration programs assisting people on the move in North Africa, as well as launching the first integrated victim assistance programme in West Libya, in partnership with the National Mine Action Centre.