UN envoy visits southern Libya ahead of National Conference

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The UN envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salamé, on Sunday began a visit to the city of Sebha, 800 km south of Tripoli, where he will meet local dignitaries, sheikhs, academics and activists from the south of the country as a prelude to the inclusive national conference on the future of Libya.

Mr. Salamé started the visit by meeting with dignitaries, sheikhs, academics, women, young people and actors from Fezzan at Sebha University, where he discussed security and life issues facing southern Libya.

The inclusive National Conference due to held this month is the first point of his action plan which includes legislative elections followed by a referendum on the Constitution ahead of the presidential election by the end of the year.

"A number of representatives of Libyan security services and personalities from the Tamenhent region and surrounding areas welcomed Salamé on his arrival at the airport, according to the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

In a press statement last week, the UN envoy warned against "the intervention of regional and international forces in southern Libya without respecting the sovereignty of the country."

-0- PANA BY/BEH/KND/AR 13Jan2019