Latest response to events in Libya, the Middle East and North Africa

The Stabilisation Unit’s Libya and North Africa team and the Yemen and Middle East team are playing a key role in the UK’s response to events in the region, helping  the UK Government prepare to support a multilateral stabilisation effort.  As part of this, the teams have been using their stabilisation expertise to facilitate cross-Whitehall planning and shape Whitehall policy on stabilisation. This work has included providing expert advice to officials and the Secretary of State for International Development, (the Cabinet Minister responsible for stabilisation) which fed into the recent London Libya Conference.

The Stabilisation Unit has deployed civilians to Egypt and Tunisia to provide stabilisation expertise to UK embassies there. Preparations are also being made to deploy experts to Libya, ready to support a United Nations mission, which will lead on reconstruction and the wider stabilisation response.  As such, planning for international support for stabilisation in Libya and the wider region has been an important aspect of the UK’s discussions with the United Nations and the European Union.

Making the most of Civil Service Stabilisation Cadre, we have recruited civil servants at short notice to provide essential support to the Libya and North Africa team and the Yemen and Middle East team. The Unit has also offered the support and stabilisation expertise of our 1,000 strong Civilian Stabilisation Group (CSG) to other Government departments should they require it. Meanwhile, we are recruiting experts from the CSG to provide ongoing support to Stabilisation Unit over the medium term