Master Plan for Benghazi

The Master Plan for Benghazi is a comprehensive planning document aimed at modernizing and developing the urban landscape of Benghazi, Libya¹. This project responds to the city’s informal development, previous marginalization, and the effects of the Libyan civil war (2014–2020) and following conflict². It involves a detailed plan which will guide both public and private investments, define the public interest, and plan strategic interventions³.

As stated by the Benghazi Municipality,​ the masterplan aims to enhance the quality of public space, foster economic development, and promote environmental sustainability⁴. It also focuses on the regeneration of waterways and lakes thereby “effectively reorienting the city towards the sea”⁵. This includes the establishment of several infrastructure and reconstruction projects in the city, including the regeneration of the historical city center in line with approved technical standards and specifications⁶.

In particular, the plan aims to improve the city’s main water canals⁷, and upgrade residential slums into serviced neighborhoods with complete infrastructure services, such as sewage networks, water, electricity, roads, public transport⁸. New service facilities include educational, health, and sports facilities are also incorporated in the plan⁹. In addition to this, new planning standards and technical specifications will be adopted across neighborhoods, marking this as crucial step in redefining Benghazi’s urban fabric¹⁰. The outcomes seek to not only reconstruct the city’s infrastructure but also to reconcile and develop a new vision for Benghazi¹¹. The beneficiaries are both the residents and the visitors of Benghazi¹².

The Masterplan was launched in June 2023 by the Municipality and the Benghazi and Derna Construction Fund (BCDF)^{13 i}. The Greek LEAD Engineering Consulting Company consulting is a lead consultant in the project, in addition to the Projects Department at the Municipality¹⁴. The United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP) is actively supporting the project, which aligns with its Peacebuilding and Resilience initiative of the East, which focuses on infrastructural enhancement and social and economic development^{15 ii}. Accompanying the plan is an agreement between all stakeholders on priority buildings – including heritage buildings– to be renovated or reconstructed according to their original design¹⁶.