New Afghan president sworn in after disputed vote

10 years ago | Posted in: Latest Politics News | 498 Views

Kabul — Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai was sworn in Monday as Afghanistan’s new president, replacing Hamid Karzai in the country’s first democratic transfer of power since the 2001 US-led invasion toppled the Taliban.

Ghani Ahmadzai became president of Afghanistan in a peaceful transition after a six-month election season that ended with marathon negotiations that gave the newly created position of chief executive to his challenger Abdullah Abdullah.

Karzai had been Afghanistan’s only leader since 2001.

Ghani Ahmadzai entered the presidential palace wearing a dark black turban popular in the country’s south. His electoral challenger Abdullah, who is slated to fill the newly created position of chief executive, sat two seats away, with Karzai anchoring the spot in between.

Karzai — the only president Afghans and the West has known since the invasion — wore a wide smile as he greeted his presidential guards upon entering the palace. Karzai has said he is glad to be stepping down after more than a decade of what the U.S. ambassador recently said was one of the most difficult jobs in the world.

The inauguration caps a nearly six-month election season that began when ballots were first cast in April. A runoff election in June between Ghani Ahmadzai and Abdullah stretched on for weeks as both sides levelled charges of fraud. The United Nations helped carry out what it said was the most thorough recount in its history, a count that reduced Ghani Ahmadzai’s vote percentage from 56 per cent to 55 per cent, but still gave him the win.

But the real power struggle was taking place in marathon talks between the two sides, often brokered by US Secretary of State John Kerry and other U.S. officials. The political deal the sides agreed to created the new position of chief executive that Abdullah will now fill.

US officials have said they expect Ghani Ahmadzai to sign a security agreement with the US shortly after his inauguration to allow about 10,000 American troops to stay in the country after the international combat mission ends on Dec. 31…. see more

source: khaleejtimes

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