The Taliban had challenged the credentials and requested to represent the country during this year’s General Assembly summit. It began on Sept. 21st and ends Monday.
All challenges to credentials must be heard and considered by the credentials committee of the assembly. It meets usually in November, but has not met earlier to hear the challenge.
Stephane Dujarric, U.N. spokesperson, stated that Afghanistan’s current U.N. ambassador, GhulamIsaczai was currently listed as speaking on behalf of the country.
Dujarric said to The Associated Press Monday morning that the Afghan Mission had notified him Saturday that they would not be speaking.
The final address of the gathering was to be delivered by Afghanistan on Monday afternoon. It was not listed on Monday morning’s list of speakers.
An email was sent to the U.N. mission in Afghanistan asking for comment.
As the U.S. and NATO forces near the end of their 20-year-old withdrawal, the Taliban took control of most of Afghanistan. They claim that they now have the power and the right to represent Afghanistan at the United Nations. Isaczai is the former president Ashraf Ganian’s government.
Ameer Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s new foreign minister, wrote to Antonio Guterres, stating that Ghani had been “expelled” on Aug. 15, and that all countries “no longer recognize him in his role as president.”
Muttaqi stated that Isaczai was no longer representing Afghanistan and that the Taliban was nominating Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, a U.N. permanent representative. During peace negotiations in Qatar, he was the spokesperson for Taliban.
Shaheen said that all requirements are met for the recognition of a government to be recognized by the U.N. last Wednesday. “So, we hope that the U.N. recognizes the current government in Afghanistan as a neutral international body.”
