Afghanistan envoy withdraws from UN General Assembly debate

Isaczai, ambassador for the government overthrown by the Taliban, was due to speak on Monday.

Afghanistan’s ambassador to the United Nations has pulled out of delivering an address to world leaders at the General Assembly on Monday.

Ghulam Isaczai, who represented president Ashraf Ghani’s government that was overthrown last month, was due to defy the Taliban with a speech but his name was removed from the list of speakers.

“The country withdraws its participation in the general debate,” Monica Grayley, a spokeswoman for the assembly’s president, confirmed to the AFP news agency, adding that Afghanistan’s mission to the UN had not given a reason for the withdrawal.