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UN Says 'Extent of Problem' in Flood-ravaged Libya Unclear

At least 4,000 people are thought to have perished but provisional figures vary enormously - AAWSAT AR
At least 4,000 people are thought to have perished but provisional figures vary enormously - AAWSAT AR
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UN Says 'Extent of Problem' in Flood-ravaged Libya Unclear

At least 4,000 people are thought to have perished but provisional figures vary enormously - AAWSAT AR
At least 4,000 people are thought to have perished but provisional figures vary enormously - AAWSAT AR

The UN aid chief on Friday said the extent of the catastrophe in flood-ravaged Libya was unclear.

"I think the issue for us in Libya is of course coordinating with... the government and then the other authority in the east of the country," Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator said, AFP reported.

"We don't know the extent of the problem," he stressed.

Griffiths welcomed a proposal by the mayor of the port city of Derna, the site of a tsunami-sized flash flood after two dams burst, for rescuers and aid to be sent there by sea.

"You've got obviously maritime access, you would ship in aid as well," he said.

"You don't choose one route over another, you do all of them. You still keep coming in from the land... but certainly, adding the maritime option makes complete sense".

Emergency workers sifting through the mud and rubble of the flood disaster in Libya are still hopeful of finding survivors, the Red Cross chief in the country said Friday.

"The hope is there, is always there, to find people alive," said Tamer Ramadan, the head of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent's rescue effort in the North African country.

The known death toll rose to 11,300 dead but provisional figures vary enormously.

Ramadan did not give an estimate of the toll, saying the "the definite numbers will be available upon the finalization of the assessment of the ground."

Calling the situation "catastrophic", the United Nations launched an appeal for more than $71 million to respond to the "most urgent needs of 250,000 people targeted out of the 884,000 people estimated to be in need".

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Macron and Tebboune Announce Return of Normal ‘French-Algerian’ Relations

The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)
The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)
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Macron and Tebboune Announce Return of Normal ‘French-Algerian’ Relations

The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)
The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)

French President Emmanuel Macron and his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, on Monday confirmed a normalization of ties after months of strained relations and agreed to reestablish political dialogue and relaunch cooperation on security and migration.
During a phone call, Macron urged Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune to show “mercy and humanity” towards a jailed French-Algerian writer, Boualem Sansal, the Elysee palace said in a statement.
The author was sentenced last Thursday to five years in prison after an interview he gave to a French far-right media outlet was deemed to undermine Algeria's territorial integrity.
Macron “called for a gesture of mercy and humanity towards Mr Boualem Sansal, given the age and state of health of the writer,” the Elysee statement said.
French nationals living in Algeria and who mostly own private companies, are concerned that the diplomatic rift between both countries would affect their businesses.
They hope discussions between French and Algerian high ranking officials would halt the deterioration in bilateral relations.
Michel Bisac, president of the Algerian French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told the French-language news website Tout sur l'Algérie, that French residents in Algeria working in companies or in the finance and business fields, are “always welcomed by their Algerian partners.”
“The problem is mainly political,” he said in an attempt to minimize the escalated relations between both countries and its impact on jobs, and French investments in Algeria.
Bisac said most French companies have performed well in 2024, but the diplomatic escalation between the two countries has raised concerns.
“French companies in Algeria do not face any retaliatory measures. As for administrative difficulties, especially with regard to imports, they affect all foreign investors, and do not specifically target France,” he added.
Bisac said there is no campaign against France despite the tense relations, affirming that professional ties remain strong, and expatriates continue to work in a stable environment.
But as bilateral relations continue to deteriorate, he said, the economy could be affected, threatening years of Franco-Algerian cooperation.
Meanwhile, the government in Paris is divided on the French-Algerian crisis. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau vowed a “gradual response” after Algeria refused Paris’ demand to readmit Algerian nationals from France that local authorities have deemed a threat and are seeking to expel.
In return, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot will travel to Algiers on April 11 at the invitation of his Algerian counterpart, Ahmed Attaf, as part of the effort to mend ties between both countries. He is expected to meet with Tebboune.
Recently, Algerians have shown a willingness to dialogue, but the local press has continued its attacks on right-wing French officials, including presidential candidate Bruno Retailleau, who has called for the termination of the 1968 Franco-Algerian immigration agreement.
In return, Algeria's parliament established a commission to draft a law criminalizing French colonial rule, a move deemed “historical” and backed by local lawmakers, historians, and legal experts. Observers expect Algeria to abandon this step when relations between Algiers and Paris return to normal.