UN names deputy rep for Afghanistan; no word on a top envoy

By JENNIFER PELTZ
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations has announced a new deputy special representative for Afghanistan, but it’s unclear how soon the world body may replace its top official there. The appointment of German diplomat Markus Potzel was announced Friday, a day after Deborah Lyons ended her tenure as the U.N.‘s chief representative in Afghanistan.  U.N. deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq says for now, Potzel will be in charge of the U.N.’s political mission in Afghanistan. Haq declined to give a timeline for naming a successor for Lyons. Potzel served as Germany’s ambassador to Afghanistan from 2014 to 2016 and his country’s special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan from 2017 into last year.