UN mission to return gradually to Libya, says new envoy

TRIPOLI: A United Nations’ mission, which left Libya in 2014 due to unrest in the country, will return “gradually” to the capital Tripoli, the UN’s new international envoy for Libya said on Saturday.

“The mission will work along with Libyan institutions with the aim of providing the required logistical and technical support,” Ghassan Salame said.

The Lebanese diplomat had arrived in Tripoli earlier Saturday for his first visit to the divided country since he was appointed just over a month ago.

He met with Fayez Serraj, the head of a UN-backed government based in Tripoli.

“I would like to inform Al Serraj and the Libyans that we are with them and on their side to work so that the next months and next year will be a year of stability in an independent, united Libya,” he said at a joint press conference with Serraj.

Libya is governed by three competing governments — two in Tripoli and one in the eastern city of Tobruk.

In 2014, several diplomatic missions left Libya due to a surge in violence.

The UN mission has since been operating from neighbouring Tunisia.

Salame is due later on Saturday to travel to eastern Libya, where arrival administration is based.

He will hold there talks with Agila Saleh, the head of the elected parliament there.

As the UN envoy for Libya, Salame succeeded German diplomat Martin Kobbler.

Last month, Salame took part in talks in Paris brokered by France between Serraj and his rival Khalifa Haftar, the chief of Libya’s self-styled national army in eastern Libya.

At the time, the rival leaders agreed to a nationwide ceasefire, excluding the fight against terrorist groups, and to hold parliamentary and presidential elections as soon as possible.

Serraj said on Saturday he had discussed with Salame the outcome of the Paris talks.

“We agreed that the need has become more pressing than at any time before to reach an urgent political solution to the crisis in Libya,” Serraj added.

“This requires that all political sides rise to the level of national responsibility,” he said without elaborating. He also called on the UN to provide logistical and technical support for the proposed elections.

Last year, the Serraj government took power in Tripoli, amid international hopes it would be able to re-establish stability and stop expansion by the IS extremist group in the country.