UNITED NATIONS: UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday named his special envoy to Libya, Ian Martin, as the head of the UN’s support mission in the country and the world body’s new representative to Tripoli.

Martin has been coordinating the work of UN agencies in Libya with initiatives by the World Bank and “liaised closely” with the transitional authorities in Libya, a UN statement said.

“UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Ian Martin of the United Kingdom as his special representative and head of the United Nations support mission in Libya (UNSMIL),” it said.

He was special adviser on “post-conflict planning for Libya, a position in which he led the integrated pre-assessment process… Mr. Martin consulted and liaised closely with the Libyan transitional authorities,” it added.

Martin has worked in the past in East Timor, Nepal, the Gaza Strip and Ethiopia and Eritrea. (AFP)