The Heat: What does a new presidency mean for US-Afghan relations?

The Heat

Ashraf GhaniAfghan president Ashraf Ghani gestures with officials during an event at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) office in Kabul on September 26, 2014. Ashraf Ghani won Afghanistan’s disputed presidential election decisively with 55 percent of the vote, results revealed, after the figure was kept secret for five days over concerns that fraud allegations could trigger violence. AFP PHOTO/ Noorullah SHIRZADA

After a tense year-long election process, Afghanistan finally has a new president: Ashraf Ghani. He will share power with runner-up Abdullah Abdullah. Will the former rival candidates be able to put aside their differences and work together? Afghanistan has also signed a security agreement with the United States that will allow U.S. troops to stay in Afghanistan until the end of 2016. The Heat asked the experts what that means for U.S.-Afghan relations. 

Ashraf Ghani is Afghanistan’s second president since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. He faces an Islamic terrorist threat, a severe budget shortfall and rampant public corruption. The election that took place in June was marred by allegations of fraud. In September, the Western-educated Ghani was declared the winner.

Ghani had to make a power-sharing deal with the second-place finisher, Abdullah Abdullah. He has been named the chief executive officer of Afghanistan, a role similar to that of a prime minister.

Will the new Afghan government be able to address the numerous challenges from high unemployment and growing security threats? The Heat was joined by former Afghan Ambassador Omar Samad to answer this and other questions asked by the international community.

 

For more on the geo-politics, security and the economy of Afghanistan with an American perspective, CCTV America was joined by Kurt Volker, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO.

Some say the situation for women in Afghanistan is dire. One E.U. ambassador said there have been huge improvements in areas of mortality and education. Even so, Afghanistan remains a challenge for women. For more on this, The Heat spoke to Afghan advocate for women’s rights, Manizha Naderi.