(by Vanessa Tomassini, correspondent from Tunis) The Coronavirus emergency, COVID-19, is experienced differently in the various cities of Libya. In the east of the country, despite strong exchanges and frequent connections with Egypt, which has already recorded over 166 cases and several deaths, the problem is underestimated by most of the population. In the western region, by contrast, the virus is viewed with concern although many have criticized the possibility of closing mosques and cafes.
In a country devastated by over 9 years of civil conflict, coronavirus is not perceived as a real risk, or in any case, not as dangerous as fighting. In southern Libya, concerns are greatest although there is widespread knowledge of the risks in the majority of the local community. Libyan law requires that local authorities establish emergency containment measures and it must be said that all institutions have taken steps to demonstrate readiness and interest in public health, often such behavior is perceived by citizens as a means of political propaganda, because very little has been done on the ground. It was possible to read a certain competitiveness between the two Governments, although the Government of National Agreement (GNA) has shown itself to be more prepared and confident on what to do, adopting clear rules and in line with the measures taken by other countries in the wake of Italy, France and Saudi Arabia. At the moment Libya is among the few countries to have not ascertained any cases, after the concern for some suspected cases, all negative results. Following the spread in Italy, the Italian embassy in Tripoli and the oil company Eni immediately repatriated the foreign workers employed in the Mellitah complex and prevented the return of employees who had gone abroad in the weeks preceding the registration of the first cases in Italy.
GNA
The President of the Council of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez al-Serraj, announced on Saturday a series of measures aimed at preventing the infiltration of the new coronavirus, Covid-19, into Libya. In a televised speech to the Libyan people, Serraj announced the closure of all land crossings at ports and airports starting on Monday 16 March for a three-week period. Serraj said that the Foreign Ministry will coordinate with all Libyan embassies and consulates abroad to provide adequate assistance, protection and care to Libyan citizens before they can return to their country. In Tunisia, the consulate issued a note to Libyan citizens who find themselves in difficulty due to the cancellation of flights following the decision of the Tunisian Prime Minister to close the airspace starting on Wednesday. Serraj announced the suspension of studies in public and private schools, colleges and universities for a period of two weeks, stressing that this period is renewable according to the evolution of the situation. The Presidential Council indicated that it is often up to the Ministry of Education to take measures that allow educational institutions to compensate for the missing study period and would be considering the possibility for students to follow lessons from home through the use of the internet. Serraj ordered the interruption of all cultural and sporting activities, the closure of the wedding and coffee rooms that allow assembling of people, as well as the continuation of the activities of bars and restaurants that have high standards of preventive measures only until four o'clock. afternoon. Serraj also urged the faithful not to go to mosques and to pray from home until the emergency has passed. He asked the media to be professional, to draw news from official sources, not to spread false rumors and information, and to allocate advertising and media spaces to educate citizens on the behaviors to be taken to protect them from viruses or infections. A crisis unit was formed to monitor developments related to the management of the epidemic 24 hours a day, indicating the emergence of more working groups from this committee to facilitate the communication process between citizens and responsible health centers. The committee's duties include the use of communication techniques to increase community awareness of the measures that must be taken to prevent the spread of the virus. Serraj has ordered unpaid emergency numbers, the creation of adequately sized packages and reduced prices for the Internet service (already halved since last week), as well as sending informative text messages to increase citizens' awareness. He ordered the Ministry of the Interior and its affiliated bodies to take the necessary measures to follow the implementation of these procedures which will be reviewed and adapted according to the evolution of the pandemic.
Ministry of the Interior, Tripoli, Janzour
A training course was launched on Tuesday to inform security forces in the municipality of Janzour, how to prevent the spread of the virus and how to deal with infected cases. The Training and Development Center of the Janzour Criminal Investigation Agency is organizing the course, which is aimed at members of the Authority for the Security of Structures and Institutions, the Coast Guard, the Criminal Investigation Authority, the General Administration of Central Support, the Janzour Security Directorate and the National Security Authority, according to the statement by the Ministry of the Interior (GNA). The program aims to prepare the trainers of these security forces so that they can in turn train affiliate staff. The head of the Janzour Criminal Investigation Authority, Brigadier General Youssef Al-Bondi, the Director of the Central Support Department, Brigadier General Mohamed Fathallah and the Director of the Janzour Security Department, Colonel Kamal attended the course. Ouidah. The Ministry of Interior has also activated General Administration inspection and follow-up teams to monitor the performance of all components of the security forces in implementing the necessary measures to combat Covid-19. The Director of the General Administration for Inspection and Follow-up directed Brigadier Al-Mahdi Abu Sunainah to grant occasional licenses to some employees of the department and reduce the collective presence, always guaranteeing the performance of the work and the public interest. . Border security authorities continue to operate at the Dehiba and Ras Agedir passes to allow the return of Libyan citizens stranded in Tunisia because of the pandemic.
Misurata
The Municipality of Misurata announced on Tuesday a series of precautions to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The municipality said that these measures are in line with the measures announced last Saturday by the GNA Presidential Council in light of the spread of coronavirus in neighboring countries. The municipality invited all citizens returning from travel abroad to follow a two-week self-isolation period at home, avoiding direct contact with their families, going to work and going to public places to protect the community. The municipality also asked all freelancers and public businesses, such as bakers, hairdressers and laundries, to comply with all the conditions and preventive checks ordered by the Ministry of Health and the National Center for Disease Control. The municipality has also asked all its citizens to take the matter seriously and to follow all instructions issued by the authorities, stressing that the latter must do everything possible to ensure everyone's safety. At Misurata international airport, doctors and volunteers have started checks and temperature measurements for arriving travelers since Saturday.
Cyrenaica and parallel government "ad interim"
The Interim Government has issued a package of preventive measures which includes a ban on shaking hands with employees. Prime Minister Abdullah Al-Thini has ordered the reduction of the number of people in government offices. Last Sunday The High Committee for the Interim Government Crisis and Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar discussed the preventive measures to be taken, including the formation of a special army unit charged with carrying out hygiene, disinfestation and control activities starting from international airport of Benina. Following the decision of the GNA, the interim Ministry of the Interior has ordered the closure of border crossings, ports and airports in the east of the country, with the exception of ambulances for freight carriers. The Interim government also decided to close the mosques until further notice. Previously he had also imposed the closure of cafes, a measure implemented by the internal security authorities. Al-Thini asked mosque imams, residents and security apparatuses to immediately put the decision into practice, promising sanctions for possible violations. The General Authority of Islamic Provisions and Islamic Affairs of the Provisional Government had previously prohibited assemblies inside mosques and Friday prayers, but had allowed the faithful to gather in the courtyard of the mosque from Monday to March 28 of this month. Libyan National Army (LNA) spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari and his team entered quarantine for 14 days after returning from a trip abroad as a precautionary measure.
House of Representatives
The president of the House of Representatives, Aquila Saleh Issa, discussed with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Interim government, Abdul Hadi Al-Hawij, the situation of the Libyan community present in various countries of the world. Al-Hawaij briefed the President of Parliament on the mechanisms for communicating with members of the Libyan community who are stuck in the countries facing the Covid-19 emergency, as well as on contacts with the World Health Organization and China to benefit from the experience of pandemic control and its containment. The President of Parliament received a draft amendment from the diplomatic and consular labor law from Minister Al-Hawij which must be updated taking into account the observations of the experts.
Southern Libya
In southern Libya, the concerns seem to be greater than in the rest of the country, both for the lack of real border control with Algeria, Niger and Chad, and for the awareness of having a fragile and poorly equipped local health system. In Sabha, Ghat and Aubari, NGOs and civil society organizations are mobilizing to conduct awareness campaigns among the population through the media and in the field.
Ghat
The City Council has remained silent since the beginning of the crisis. The director of the Department of Health confirmed that the municipality lacks the means and capabilities to combat the spread of coronavirus and that no support has been provided by the two governments. The local red crescent has launched an awareness campaign on the importance of avoiding contacts and handshakes, while volunteers are proceeding with the sterilization of mosques and public places that see the gathering or passage of many people. All this is done voluntarily. The city is located on the border with Algeria, whose pass has been closed for months. Although the neighboring country has deployed its armed forces on the border, the illegal passage of some elements belonging to the nomadic desert tribes that conduct business with neighboring countries cannot be excluded. Local sources have confirmed a considerable increase in the prices of basic necessities, food and consumer products, justified by the increase in the dollar in the exchange rate with the Libyan dinar, although it is clear that these goods had been previously purchased.
Aubari
Activists from the non-discrimination movement canceled a demonstration scheduled for March 21, showing an awareness of the risks associated with the spread of COVID-19. In this community, activists and civil society organizations play a much more predominant role than political actors. Here, too, prices seem to have risen significantly since the start of the global pandemic. According to activists there is no awareness of the risks of the spread of the virus and there are no adequate hospital facilities in case a rapid spread of the disease occurs.
Sabha
The municipality strengthened preventive security measures on March 12, 2020, increasing control measures at airports and at the borders of the municipality, promoting the culture of hygiene and public health through local media, as well as trying to reject the entry of migrants and illegal immigrants. Osama al-Wifi, spokesman for Sabha Medical Hospital, the only equipped medical center in the region, said that there is only one ICU room for 8 people and they are waiting for international organizations and the government to provide them with what is necessary to face the crisis. There are no tests or detectors for temperature detection, nor equipment and infirmary equipment. "We are waiting for someone to help us as many have promised," said the spokesman.
To date, there are no reasons to believe that the spread of coronavirus in Libya could have effects or changes on the political situation, if not in requiring greater seriousness from governments and officials. It is clear that some people are already exploiting the crisis in their favor by raising prices or, at the institutional level, to gain political support from external actors in the emergency management.