Tunisia commits to supporting UN efforts in Libya: FM

TUNIS, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Mohamed Ali Nafti on Friday reiterated Tunisia's commitment to continue supporting the United Nations (UN) efforts in Libya and the mandate of the UN mission.

Nafti made the remarks during a meeting with visiting Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs for Libya in the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Stephanie Koury in Tunis.

The Tunisian minister expressed Tunisia's full readiness to contribute to what will support dialogue, consensus and reconciliation efforts to reach a permanent political solution in Libya.

For her part, Koury expressed her appreciation for Tunisia's continued support for the UN mediation in Libya and her deep gratitude for Tunisia's fruitful cooperation, support for UNSMIL and all the facilities provided to enable UNSMIL to carry out its tasks.

Libya has struggled with fragmentation since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with the oil-rich country essentially divided between a UN-recognized western-based government in Tripoli, supported by the Libyan Presidential Council, and an eastern-based rival administration in Benghazi, led by self-styled Libyan National Army General Khalifa Haftar and backed by the House of Representatives. ■