Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh highlighted that while the operational cost of transporting water via the Great Man-Made River reaches two dinars per cubic meter, it is provided to citizens for only a quarter dinar, with collection failures rendering it effectively free. Speaking at the launch of the National Water Security Strategy 2026-2050, Dbeibeh noted that the system faces significant sustainability challenges due to infrastructure damage sustained during previous conflicts, despite the milestone achievement of reaching the Western Mountain region.
To secure future supplies, the Prime Minister advocated for private sector involvement in desalination projects powered by solar energy, suggesting a model where the state procures water from private plants to bypass high governmental operational overheads. He further addressed the critical lack of water conservation, criticizing the Water and Wastewater Company’s inadequate efforts to combat waste. Dbeibeh called for a national conservation strategy modeled after Gulf states, emphasizing that Libya’s desert climate mandates strict management and heightened public awareness to preserve water resources for future generations.