Two weeks after the devastating floods in Libya, the franceinfo Talk looks at the internal context of the country and its place on the international stage. Ludo Pauchant receives Roumiana Ougartchinska, author of “For the Skin of Gaddafi” (ed. Fayard), Jalel Harchaoui, specialist on Libya and Valentin Dunate, reporter at franceinfo.
On the night of September 10 to 11, the Storm Daniel devastated Libya, spectacular images of the disaster are pouring in from the country to present the extent of the damage. Particularly at issue are the two water retention dams of Wadi Derna, who gave up. The water came like a tidal wave on the inhabitants of Derna.
Deadly floods in a politically divided country
These floods left at least 3,845 dead, according to the latest report communicated on Saturday September 23 by the local Libyan authorities. But these figures are likely to rise further : according to a spokesperson for a relief committee, the bodies hastily buried by residents in the days following the disaster have still not been taken into account.
Two weeks later, the weather is questions and expression of anger inhabitants. The latter want answers from the country’s authorities and understand how the two dams could have failed, these water reservoirs being built around fifty years ago. under Muammar Gaddafi.
According to Patrick Haizadeh, former diplomat and Libya specialist, “topography of the city of Derna favored this type of disaster”. For others, weaknesses in infrastructure planning and design standards may be the cause: no major projects have been launched for around ten years. Finally, the political instability of the countrydivided between an administration recognized in the West by the UN, and another government linked to Marshal Khalifa Haftar in the East was able to increase the number of victims.
Second part of the show: DRC, Osiris Rex, Homosexuality, Shrinkflation
For his second part of the show, Ludovic Pauchant receives:
Anne Kappès-Grangé, deputy editor-in-chief of Jeune Afrique, who wrote an editorial denouncing not only the incarceration of Stanis Bujakera Tshimala, correspondent in Kinshasa, and the more general situation in the DRC, characterized by a growing threat to the freedom of the press and democratic integrity.
Florent Manelli, author and illustrator, coordinator of the work P*des (ed. Points), a collective of eight activists, journalists, writers and artists who explore contemporary male homosexuality in France, with a view to imagining a new solidarity within gay struggles.
Nelly Lesage, deputy editor-in-chief at Numerama, will discuss Osiris Rex, NASA’s first mission to bring pieces of asteroids back to Earth.
Thomas Sellin, journalist at franceinfo, will return to the expression “Shrinkflation” and checked whether McDonald’s burgers had become smaller for the same price.
Join us from 6 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, and from 12 p.m. on Tuesdays on the franceinfo Twitch channel to participate in Ludo Pauchant’s Talk. Come exchange and debate around current issues.