The Government of Libya has officially approved the National Water Security Strategy (NWSS), developed with UNDP and Italy's support, setting measurable targets for demand reduction, source diversification, and institutional reform across one of the world's most water-stressed nations.
A crisis demanding a new paradigm
Libya's water situation is among the most acute globally. Over 90% of national supply is drawn from non-renewable fossil groundwater, the country faces a national deficit exceeding 4,000 million cubic metres per year, and infrastructure performance has deteriorated sharply: the Man-Made River Project operates at less than half its designed capacity, desalination plants deliver under 14% of their nominal output, and more than 90% of collected wastewater is discharged untreated.
Libya's National Water Security Strategy sets measurable targets for demand reduction, source diversification, and institutional reform across one of the world's most water-stressed nations
Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbibah chaired the official launch of the National Water Security Strategy (NWSS) in Tripoli on 21 April 2026, alongside the Minister of Planning, the Minister of Water Resources, and senior UN and Italian diplomatic representatives. Developed with technical support from UNDP and the Government of Italy, and drafted by French consultancy Hydroconseil with extensive national stakeholder engagement, the strategy marks a formal break from decades of reactive, infrastructure-led water management. As the Prime Minister stated at the event: "Water security is not merely a service issue; it is a sovereign matter of national security. Protecting our resources means protecting the future of our children."
Five axes, one long-term vision
The NWSS is built around a 2050 vision and five interlocking strategic axes. The vision sets three headline targets: municipal water consumption below 150 litres per capita per day in urban areas, a renewable resource mix reaching 75%, and non-revenue water (NRW) reduced to under 25% with infrastructure operating at 80% of design capacity.
The five axes address institutional governance, cross-sector alignment, knowledge and data management, optimisation of water sources and usage, and financial sustainability. Critically, the strategy names an explicit paradigm shift: away from "meeting demand at any cost" toward reducing demand to fit within volumes that can be sustainably produced, while mobilising all viable alternative sources. Agriculture currently consumes an estimated 80–85% of Libya's water yet contributes less than 2% of GDP, making demand management in the agricultural sector a central priority.
Water security is not merely a service issue; it is a sovereign matter of national security
The implementation roadmap is phased. The years 2026 and 2027 are dedicated to building governance enablers, including making a national Water Board operational, establishing an independent regulatory body, and launching a centralised National Water Information System (NWIS). Between 2028 and 2030, the focus shifts to operational transformation: metering, tariff reform, NRW reduction programmes, and utilities transitioning to a commercial basis. The period through to 2050 consolidates the transition to a resilient, financially sustainable sector.
Governance and data as the foundation
A recurring theme throughout the strategy is that institutional fragmentation and data gaps have historically undermined decision-making as much as any physical infrastructure deficit. The proposed governance model centres on a national Water Board as the single authority coordinating policy, planning, and investment across all sector actors, supported by an independent regulator, for which the strategy cites Egypt's Water, Wastewater and Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency (EWRA) as a recommended reference model. A dedicated National Data and Analytics Unit (NDAU), housed within the Water Board, will feed the NWIS with standardised data from utilities, ministries, and private abstractors. A National Water Research and Technology Centre (NWRTC) is targeted for establishment by end of 2027 to drive applied research and innovation, including managed aquifer recharge, advanced desalination, and treated wastewater reuse.
The groundwater imperative
At the technical core of the strategy lies an urgent need to better understand Libya's own aquifer reserves. The most recent national groundwater modelling dates from before 2015, leaving significant uncertainty about how long exploitable fossil reserves in the Murzuq, Kufra, and Sarir basins will remain viable. The NWSS mandates basin-specific groundwater management frameworks, updated numerical models, and safe yield estimates as near-term priorities, feeding into a national master plan for supply diversification. That diversification roadmap encompasses expanded coastal desalination, treated wastewater reuse for agriculture and aquifer recharge, rehabilitated surface water systems, and managed aquifer recharge schemes — all underpinned by a reformed tariff system and innovative financing instruments authorised under Libya's 2025 PPP resolution, including blended finance, green and blue bonds, and climate funds.
