UNGA postpones decision on Afghanistan, Myanmar assembly seat

A general view shows a United Nations General Assembly. Credit: AFP File Photo

The UN General Assembly has postponed the decision on whether representatives of the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan and Myanmar’s military junta can take their countries’ seats in the 193-member world body.

The UN Credentials Committee had before it two communications concerning the representation of Afghanistan at the 77th session of the general assembly, indicating different individuals as representatives to the current session.

The first was dated September 6 this year from the Charge d’affaires of Afghanistan to the United Nations in New York. The second was dated September 17 in 2022 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan.

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The committee also had before it two communications concerning the representation of Myanmar at the 77th session of the General Assembly, indicating different individuals as representatives to the 77th session of the assembly.

The first was dated August 19 in 2022 from the Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations in New York. The second was dated August 24 in 2022 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar.

“The chair proposed that the committee postpone its consideration of the credentials pertaining to the representatives of Myanmar, of the credentials pertaining to the representatives of Afghanistan, and of the credentials pertaining to the representatives of Libya to the seventy-seventh session of the general assembly, and to revert to the consideration of these credentials at a future time in the seventy-seventh session. The proposal was adopted without a vote,” the UN said.

After the August 2021 takeover of Kabul by the Taliban, the group has sought to send its representative to the UN as an envoy.

Following the February 2021 coup in Myanmar, its military rulers have said the country’s Ambassador to UN Kyaw Moe Tun has been dismissed and they want their representative to replace him.

Allowing both these representations at the UN General Assembly will be tantamount to a move towards international recognition of the Taliban administration and the military junta in Myanmar.

The credentials committee reports to the assembly on the credentials of representatives of the UN member states.

Afghanistan joined the UN on November 19 in 1946 and Myanmar has been a UN member since April 19, 1948.