Rabat – Libya’s Ministry of Youth has announced it is preparing plans for a Moroccan-Libyan group to invest in a “digital smart city” for the country’s youth. A shortage of affordable housing continues to plague Libya following a decade-long conflict that has ravaged the country.
Libya has been on a path towards political reconciliation with the support of Morocco, which hosted several dialogue between the then-combattants. Although much remains unclear about Libya’s political future, some semblance of peace and stability has returned to the country.
Libyans are now coming to terms with the aftermath of the bloody conflict amid the current lull in violence and ongoing political negotiations. With infrastructure and housing severely impacted by the war, citizens are demanding better housing, economic opportunities, and increasing living standards.
Libya has the 4th highest rate of youth unemployment in the world, causing many to seek their fortune elsewhere. The devastating proxy war that was fought in Libya since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Ghaddafi ground to a halt the country’s vital oil industry and basic business operations, leaving young people with few or no economic opportunities for nearly a decade.
Libya is now cooperating with several groups from Morocco in order to assist in particular Libya’s youth in relieving the constant pressure of unaffordable housing. Without affordable housing many young people are stuck in their parents’ homes or struggling to afford high rent prices amid a daunting shortage in housing.
According to Libya’s Minister of Youth Fethullah Al-Zani, the Morocco-sponsored “Digital Smart City” initiative is intended to relieve housing pressures while creating a space for young Libyans to start a business and build their own future from the rubble of the past decade.
Following Morocco’s important role in the apparent success of political dialogue in Libya, the two countries are now closely working together to rebuild the war-torn country. Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh and Libya’s Parliamentary Speaker Aguilah Saleh both visited Morocco late last month, highlighting the close cooperation between the two Maghrebi nations.
