Home > Topics > Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai

Ashraf Ghani

Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai is an Afghan politician and the current President of Afghanistan. He is an Afghan scholar and an anthropologist by education and has taught the subject at the University of Columbia and Johns Hopkins University. He has previously served as the finance minister as well as the chancellor of Kabul University. Before running for the presidential seat, he was an advisor to UN secretary and served as the generals special envoy to Afghanistan and the provisional president Hamid Karzai. As a finance minister, he played an important part for the economic upturn of the country. He previously also ran for the 2009 presidential election but ended in the fourth position.Born in the year 1949 in a wealthy Pashtun family, Ghani spent his childhood in the Logar Province of Afghanistan. He completed his schooling from Habibia High School in Kabul and in the year 1973, he earned his bachelors degree from the American University in Beirut and later completed his masters degree in 1977 in Anthropology at New Yorks Columbia University after winning a governments scholarship. After completing his bachelors degree, he came back to Kabul in 1974 and taught Afghan studies and Anthropology at the Kabul University and taught there until 1977 when he left to New York to obtain his masters degree. Ghani later earned his Ph D degree on state building and social transformation and was then invited to teach at the University of California in 1983. His academic research was on state building and social transformation. He completed a year of fieldwork researching as a Fulbright Scholar on Pakistani madrassas in 1985. He also taught at the Johns Hopkins University from 1983 to 1991 and during this period he worked as a commentator on the BBC Dari and Pashto services, broadcast in Afghanistan. He joined World Bank in 1991 as a lead anthropologist and while working with the World Bank, he attended the Harvard-INSEAD and World Bank Stanford Graduate School of Businesss leadership training program. He served the bank for 11 years and in his 11 year service, he played an important role in formulating the Banks social policy and designing the reform programs. In 2001, Ghani was asked to serve as Special Advisor to the Ambassador of the UN Secretary Generals special envoy in Afghanistan after the downfall of Taliban. He later joined as the Chief Advisor to the Interim President Hamid Karzai in February 2002 on a pro bono basis. In June 2002, he was appointed as the Finance Minister of Afghanistan and he carried out extensive reforms which included issuing new currency, computerizing the treasury operations, adopting a policy of balanced budgets and using budgets as the central policy instrument. Emerging Markets recognized Ghana as the best finance minister of Asia in 2003. He continued as the Finance Minister till December 2004 and then joined as the chancellor of Kabul University and advocated his shared governance concept to the faculty for the next four years. Ghani also gave keynote speeches in 2005 for meetings like the American Bar Associations International Rule of Law Symposium, the annual meeting of the Norwegian Governments development staff, CSIS meeting on UN reform and at the UN-OECD-World Banks meeting on the Fragile States.He registered as a candidate for the 2009 Afghan Presidential election on 7th May 2009 and his campaign focused on eradication of poverty, employment opportunities for citizens and a dynamic economy. Unlike other candidates, he asked the Afghan Diaspora to support and provide financial support to his campaign. He was however unsuccessful and the preliminary results placed him at the fourth position in a field of 38 and he was able to secure roughly 3% of the votes. In 2010, Ghani pledged his support for the reconstruction of Afghanistan in an International Conference on Afghanistan in London. For the 2014 presidential elections, Ghani selected General Abdul Rashid Dostum, the Uzbek politician and Sarwar Danish, the Justice minister in Karzais cabinet as the candidates for the vice presidential post of the 2014 elections. A run-off election was held in June 2014 between Ashraf Ghani and Dr. Abdullah but the election ended in a stalemate after the allegations of electoral fraud which led to a three months audit. After the audit results on 22nd September 2014, Ghani was declared as the president by the election commission after gaining 55.4% of votes. He was sworn in as the president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on 29th September 2014. In his Presidential inauguration, Ashraf Ghani publicly acknowledged the support of his wife and addressed her with an Afghan name Bibi Gul. This move was considered extraordinary for an Afghan politician. Ashraf Ghani is married to Rula Saade, a Lebanese Christian whom he met at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. They were granted a US citizenship but Ghani renounced it after joining the Afghanistan ministry. The couple has a daughter and a son and both have the U.S. Citizenship. Ashraf Ghani for his service was awarded the Sayed Jamal-ud-Din Afghan medal, the highest civilian award in Afghanistan.

US Seeks Lasting, Honourable Peace Deal in Afghanistan: Zalmay Khalilzad
IANS | August 12, 2019 7:01 PM IST
US special envoy on Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad has said that Washington sought a "last and honour...
US Seeks Lasting, Honourable Peace Deal in Afghanistan: Zalmay Khalilzad
indiacom
2019-08-12T08:01:31+00:00
2019-08-12T08:01:31+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Taliban Threaten to Attack Afghan Presidential Election Rallies
IANS | August 6, 2019 6:29 PM IST
The Taliban on Tuesday warned that election rallies for Afghan presidential polls will be attacked, ...
Taliban Threaten to Attack Afghan Presidential Election Rallies
indiacom
2019-08-06T07:29:38+00:00
2019-08-06T07:29:39+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Hamid Karzai Opposes Afghan Presidential Polls Amid Taliban Talks
IANS | August 1, 2019 8:02 PM IST
Presidential polls in Afghanistan should not be held in the midst of an ongoing peace process with t...
Hamid Karzai Opposes Afghan Presidential Polls Amid Taliban Talks
indiacom
2019-08-01T09:02:56+00:00
2019-08-01T09:02:56+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Afghanistan: 20 Killed in Attack on Presidential Election Candidate in Kabul
IANS | July 29, 2019 4:38 PM IST
Twenty people were killed and 50 others were wounded in a suicide attack on the office of the Afghan...
Afghanistan: 20 Killed in Attack on Presidential Election Candidate in Kabul
indiacom
2019-07-29T05:38:44+00:00
2019-07-29T05:38:44+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Time Right For Peace Talks with Taliban: Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani
IANS | July 10, 2019 10:35 PM IST
Kabul: Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday stressed that talks between the government an...
Time Right For Peace Talks with Taliban: Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani
indiacom
2019-07-10T11:35:10+00:00
2019-07-10T11:35:10+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
'India Wins Yet Again,' Tweets PM Modi, International Leaders Congratulate Him For Decisive Victory
India.com News Desk | May 23, 2019 3:24 PM IST
New Delhi: The NDA is poised to return to power with a comfortable lead on 346 seats. Celebrations h...
'India Wins Yet Again,' Tweets PM Modi, International Leaders Congratulate Him For Decisive Victory
indiacom
2019-05-23T04:24:23+00:00
2019-05-23T04:24:23+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Afghanistan’s Mohammad Ashraf Ghani to Contest Upcoming Presidential Election
IANS | January 20, 2019 7:07 PM IST
Kabul: Incumbent Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Sunday registered with the Election Commi...
Afghanistan’s Mohammad Ashraf Ghani to Contest Upcoming Presidential Election
indiacom
2019-01-20T08:07:00+00:00
2019-01-20T08:07:00+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Afghan President Thanks Pakistan PM For Peace Efforts
IANS | January 17, 2019 7:16 PM IST
Kabul: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday telephoned Prime Minister Imran Khan to discuss the...
Afghan President Thanks Pakistan PM For Peace Efforts
indiacom
2019-01-17T08:16:07+00:00
2019-01-17T08:16:07+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Pak arrests top Taliban member to put pressure on militant outfit to hold talks with US
PTI Feeds | January 15, 2019 4:27 PM IST
Peshawar, Jan 15 (PTI) Pakistan has arrested a senior member of the Afghan Taliban here in a bid to ...
Pak arrests top Taliban member to put pressure on militant outfit to hold talks with US
indiacom
2019-01-15T05:27:14+00:00
2019-01-15T05:27:14+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
US Army Chief of Staff Makes Surprise Stop in Kabul
PTI Feeds | January 3, 2019 11:42 PM IST
Kabul: The US Army's chief of staff made a surprise visit to the capital Kabul where he met Afghan P...
US Army Chief of Staff Makes Surprise Stop in Kabul
indiacom
2019-01-03T12:42:15+00:00
2019-01-03T12:42:15+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Afghan presidential election delayed until July 20: official
PTI Feeds | December 30, 2018 8:19 PM IST
Kabul, Dec 30 (AFP) Afghanistan's presidential election will be delayed until July 20, an official s...
Afghan presidential election delayed until July 20: official
indiacom
2018-12-30T09:19:32+00:00
2018-12-30T09:19:32+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Afghanistan: 27 Soldiers Killed in Explosion at Army Base Mosque
India.com News Desk | November 23, 2018 9:21 PM IST
Khost: At last 27 soldiers have been killed and over 50 people were injured as an explosion ripped t...
Afghanistan: 27 Soldiers Killed in Explosion at Army Base Mosque
indiacom
2018-11-23T10:21:21+00:00
2018-11-23T10:21:21+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
'Well-founded' hopes for Afghanistan peace: UN
PTI Feeds | November 23, 2018 8:33 PM IST
Geneva, Nov 23 (AFP) Hopes for peace in Afghanistan are better than they have been in many years, de...
'Well-founded' hopes for Afghanistan peace: UN
indiacom
2018-11-23T09:33:44+00:00
2018-11-23T09:33:44+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Enemy is an enemy, Afghan policy on Pak flawed: Ex-Afghan intel chief
PTI Feeds | October 17, 2018 8:24 PM IST
New Delhi, Oct 17 (PTI) Afghanistan's policy on Pakistan is "flawed" and it has never taken a strong...
Enemy is an enemy, Afghan policy on Pak flawed: Ex-Afghan intel chief
indiacom
2018-10-17T09:24:17+00:00
2018-10-17T09:24:17+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Rockets Strike Afghan's Ghazni City During President Ashraf Ghani's Visit
Indo-Asian News Service | September 27, 2018 4:15 PM IST
Kabul: Three rockets fired by Taliban militants hit Afghan's Ghazni city during President Ashraf Gha...
Rockets Strike Afghan's Ghazni City During President Ashraf Ghani's Visit
indiacom
2018-09-27T05:15:52+00:00
2018-09-27T05:15:52+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Pak Foreign Minister, Afghan President Discuss Ties, Regional Security
IANS | September 15, 2018 7:37 PM IST
Pak Foreign Minister, Afghan President Discuss Ties, Regional Security
indiacom
2018-09-15T08:37:47+00:00
2018-09-15T08:37:47+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Imran Khan Condemns Kabul Rocket Attack
IANS | August 21, 2018 3:51 PM IST
Islamabad, Aug 21: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday condemned the rocket attack in Kabu...
Imran Khan Condemns Kabul Rocket Attack
indiacom
2018-08-21T04:51:54+00:00
2018-08-21T04:51:54+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Rocket Attack in Kabul During President Ashraf Ghani's Eid Speech
Indo-Asian News Service | August 21, 2018 1:32 PM IST
New Delhi, August 21: At least one rocket struck Kabul on Tuesday, followed by several explosions, d...
Rocket Attack in Kabul During President Ashraf Ghani's Eid Speech
indiacom
2018-08-21T02:32:29+00:00
2018-08-21T02:32:29+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani Invites Imran Khan to Visit Kabul
IANS Feeds | July 30, 2018 12:01 AM IST
New Delhi, Jul 29: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday invited Imran Khan, who is set to become ...
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani Invites Imran Khan to Visit Kabul
indiacom
2018-07-29T13:01:24+00:00
2018-07-29T13:01:24+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com
Afghan Government Ends Ceasefire With Taliban, Resumes Offensive
Indo-Asian News Service | June 30, 2018 9:07 PM IST
Kabul, June 30: Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani announced an end to his government's unilateral c...
Afghan Government Ends Ceasefire With Taliban, Resumes Offensive
indiacom
2018-06-30T10:07:07+00:00
2018-06-30T10:07:07+00:00
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
India.com