Ex Prez Ashraf Ghani Pitches For Recognition Of Taliban-Led Govt Ahead Of Afghan's UNGA Address

Former Afghanistan President has spoken in favour of the Taliban led govt in Afghanistan and has appealed to the international community to provide recognition.

Former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani (File Photo)

New Delhi: While Afghanistan’s currently recognised UN ambassador, Ghulam Isaczai, who represents former president Ashraf Ghani’s now-ousted government, is listed as speaking for the country at the United Nations General Assembly, the former President has issued a statement in favour of the Taliban.

Taking to Facebook, Ghani has asked the international community to give recognition to the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Citing the reason that the ambassadors and representatives have 'do not have any control in Afghanistan' the war-torn country is moving to a new crisis. 

Ghani has called out Isaczai's address at the UN saying "Ghulam Mohammad Ishaq Zai is addressing the United Nations meeting today in a situation that there is no government and public support behind it."

Posting a long statement in Pashto, Ghani has requested the international community to interact with the current government to understand their situation and provide their frozen budget along with other financial support.

The Taliban have said they want international recognition and financial help to rebuild the war-battered country. But the makeup of the new Taliban government poses a dilemma for the United Nations. Several of the interim ministers are on the UN’s so-called blacklist of international terrorists and funders of terrorism.

The Taliban, who overran most of Afghanistan last month as US and NATO forces were in the final stages of their chaotic withdrawal from the country after 20 years, argue that they are now in charge and have the right to appoint ambassadors.

In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the Taliban’s newly appointed foreign minister, Ameer Khan Muttaqi, said Ghani was “ousted” as of August 15 and that countries across the world “no longer recognise him as president.”

Therefore, Muttaqi said, Isaczai no longer represents Afghanistan and the Taliban was nominating a new UN permanent representative, Mohammad Suhail Shaheen. He was a spokesman for the Taliban during peace negotiations in Qatar.

“We have all the requirements needed for recognition of a government,” Shaheen told The Associated Press. “So we hope the UN, as a neutral world body, recognise the current government of Afghanistan.” However, the UN has not yet recognised the change in government, therefore, have allowed Ghulam Isaczai to speak at the General Assembly high-level General Debate which ends tonight.