The UN General Assembly’s Credentials Committee has deferred action on the Taliban, as well as the Myanmar junta’s, requests to take up their seats, Associated Press reported adding that a formal announcement is expected on Friday.
Reuters meanwhile reported that the 193-member UN General Assembly is due to approve the report on Friday by the nine-member committee, which includes Russia, China and the United States.
The decision will now be delayed a second time after the last UN General Assembly postponed a vote on the credentials of Myanmar and Afghanistan in December 2021.
The present envoys for these nations will remain in their positions due to the decisions being postponed, according to diplomats, Reuters reported.
Libya has also come under the spotlight after rival Libyan leaders bid for the seat.
The Government of National Stability, headed by Fathi Bashagha and supported by a parliament in the country’s east, is challenging the Government of National Unity in Tripoli, which presently has the seat for Libya at the UN. The UN has previously condemned the attempts by Bashagha’s administration to declare itself the government of Libya.
Postponed for 9 months
On Monday, December 12, the credentials committee decided, without taking a vote, to “postpone its examination of the credentials” for Libya, Myanmar and Afghanistan, and to “revert to the consideration of these credentials at a future time in the seventy-seventh session,” which concludes in mid-September 2023, Reuters reported.
The United Nations has delayed actions on the bids for seats by Afghanistan and Myanmar since last year, with diplomats citing objectionable actions by those rulers.
The Taliban for its part remains unrecognized by any country in the world and widespread human rights abuses continue to emerge.
The current Afghanistan envoy to the UN is Naseer Ahmad Faiq who was appointed to replace former UN envoy Ghulam Mohammad Ishaqzai.
The Taliban’s designated UN envoy, Suhail Shaheen, has yet to take up the position.
