Trump to meet with Republic of Congo president on Tuesday: Sassou spokesman

[December 27, 2016]  (Reuters) - Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou plans to meet with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing political turmoil crisis in Libya and other African issues, Sassou's spokesman said on Monday.

Sassou's spokesman Thierry Moungalla, in a post on Twitter, noted that the two men were meeting to discuss ways to the end the Libyan crisis as well other broader issues affecting the continent, according to a statement attached to the tweet. He did not give any other details about the meeting plans.

Representatives for Trump's team did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking to confirm the meeting with the incoming Republican president, who takes office Jan. 20 and is spending this week at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Libya is grappling with continuing political turmoil as rival governments split the nation's East and West, and other armed factions also compete for power. The United Nations earlier this month also cited an ongoing human rights crisis affecting migrants there.

Trump, a New York businessman who has never held elected office, has been holding an ongoing stream of meetings at his property in Palm Beach as well as Trump Tower in New York City as he prepares to assume the White House from Democratic U.S. President Barack Obama.

Most of his meetings have centered on possible candidates to serve in his administration, including his Cabinet.

Congo Republic President Denis Sassou Nguesso reviews honour guards during a welcoming ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, July 5, 2016. REUTERS/Jason Lee

In November, Trump met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and, according to a report, the two plan to meet again Jan. 27.

Trump has also fielded numerous calls from a number of world leaders since winning the U.S. presidential election Nov. 8 against his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

(Reporting by Tim Cocks in Senegal and Melissa Fares in Palm Beach, Florida; editing by Diane Craft)

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