At a Libya-EU inter-ministerial meeting on 5-6 April in Tunisia, the Libyan UN-proposed government and the EU had agreed on solid steps that aim to enhance cooperation in health and higher education in Libya.
The meeting was co-chaired by EU Head of Delegation to Libya, Bettina Muscheidt, and Director for International Cooperation at the UN-proposed government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Elkuni, and was attended by over 50 Libyan delegates from different ministries, according to a press release by the Delegation of the European Union to Libya.
"This meeting has helped all of us to formulate clear measurable goals with strict timelines, with priority given to primary healthcare and exchange opportunities for students from Libya.” Muscheidt said.
According to the press release, the European Union said in the meeting that it remains committed to immediately launch primary healthcare pilot clinics, starting with four cities – Gharyan, Zliten, Tripoli and Benghazi –, with the aim to develop best practices for the whole country.
The EU also vowed to support the training for staff of the Ministry of Health, through exchange visits abroad and sharing of good practices amongst mental health and psychosocial support practitioners within Libya.
"We will try to include in the next assistance program urgent priorities for maternal health, mental health, cancer and diabetes care, and blood safety." The EU officials indicated.
The EU delegation officials said that in the education sector, the EU is already supporting the rehabilitation of Universities in Benghazi and Sirte as a co-funder of the stabilization facility; the training of international relations offices of Libyan universities, as well as online education programs.
"The EU and the Libyan Ministry of Education will work together to increase Libyan access to scholarship grants, including through Erasmus. The EU will also – in cooperation with UNICEF – explore opportunities to support school rehabilitation, the review of curriculum of primary and secondary education, and training of teachers." the press release explained.
This meeting is the second one after the first Inter-ministerial meeting was organized in Tunis in December 2016, with a view to develop a strong EU-Libya partnership to address the shared interests of Libyan and European citizens alike
