By Reuters Staff

       1 Min Read

       FILE PHOTO: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign event for Virginia Democratic gubernatorial nominee and former governor Terry McAuliffe in Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. October 29, 2021. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo

       WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris plans to support Libya taking steps toward elections at a conference in Paris next week, according to senior administration officials.

       “We want to show our support for the Libyan people as they move toward national elections and as they focus on the importance of the withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries,” one of the officials said.

       The Libya-focused summit, organized with the United Nations, Germany and Italy in Paris for Nov. 12, is expected to gather some 20 regional and international heads of state.

       Wrangling over elections planned for Dec. 24 has threatened to derail Libya’s efforts to end a decade of chaos and violence. A wider peace push has put a transitional unity government into office until that vote.

       Harris is attending the Paris summit as part of a broader, five-day diplomatic trip to France.

       Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; editing by Richard Pullin

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