Libyan Government Orders MSF Exit by November 9 Amid NGO Restrictions

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has been ordered by the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to cease operations and leave Libya by November 9, with no official reason provided for the expulsion. The organization had already suspended activities in March after its premises were closed by Libya's Internal Security Agency and staff were interrogated, amid broader repression affecting at least nine other humanitarian groups in western Libya. MSF has played a crucial role in Libya's healthcare, providing over 15,000 medical consultations last year and emergency aid after the deadly Derna floods in 2023, particularly supporting refugees and migrants who face exclusion and violence. Despite MSF's registration with the UN-recognized government remaining valid, the expulsion deepens the humanitarian crisis, leaving a void in medical care for vulnerable populations. MSF hopes to find a positive resolution to the situation but warns that no international NGOs now provide medical care to refugees and migrants in western Libya due to increased obstruction and funding cuts. The expulsion marks a significant setback for healthcare access in a country already divided politically and struggling with ongoing conflict and instability.