UN confirms support for Libyan Interior Ministry

TRIPOLI, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Assistant Secretary-General and Coordinator of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Raisedon Zenenga on Sunday confirmed the Mission's support for the Libyan Interior Ministry's priorities.

Zenenga made his remarks during a meeting with the Libyan Interior Minister Khaled Mazen in Libyan capital Tripoli, the UNSMIL said in a statement.

During the meeting, the two officials discussed the ministry's priorities and progress made on elections security, rehabilitation of police services and infrastructure, as well as formation of the Joint Police Forces to support the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, it said.

Zenenga commended the role played by Libyan Ministry of Interior leading up to the reopening of the coastal road, and expressed UNSMIL's continued support for the advancement of the ministry's priorities, the statement added.

For his part, Mazen expressed concern about the continued challenges in dealing with illegal migration, human trafficking and smuggling of drugs and weapons, and highlighted constraints faced by the ministry due to the absence of a national budget.

Ever since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011, Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos. The Libyan Government of National Unity was appointed a few months ago to end years of political division and prepare for the general elections to be held later this year.