TZMPAKAAU

OIL OUTPUT NEAR PRE WAR LEVELS:LIBYA OIL MINISTER(UZALISHAJI WA MAFUTA KUFIKIA KIWANGO CHA ZAMANI(KABLA YA VITA))

Tripoli Libya

Libya's oil minister says production is nearly back to its pre-war levels. It's now at 1.5 million barrels a day.

Abdulrahman Ben Yezza says Libya could start pumping about 1.6 million barrels a day by midyear. That's what Libya produced before the eight-month conflict to oust dictator Moammar Gadhafi. That brought production to a halt.Libya is hosting an oil and gas exhibition that has attracted an American delegation, with representatives of 20 U.S. companies and organizations, including Boeing, ExxonMobil and General Electric.

Ben Yezza said Monday the new Libya regime wants to attract international investors to improve the its lucrative oil and gas sectors.

Sources:TZMPAKAAU,Foxnews and Discover Libya.